Code Geass R3: The Empresses Wish
by FireIceWindEarth
Summary: Alternate Ending to Code Geass: The girl stood up straight and spoke proudly, regaining her composure. “My name is Lilia Vi Britannia, 115th Emperor and 4th Empress of the New Britannia Empire.”
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: Code Geass belongs to Sunrise and Clamp.

Hello everyone! New story, and what I think may be my best one yet. No humor for once, which is a real change. This is an alternative ending to Code Geass which someone posted on the forums I hang around. It was amazing, and I loved it. Credit goes to whoever drew that amazing ending. I have edited a bit more to my liking (Romance, guess who lol) and I hope it is to your liking as well. This will be my last story for a while, but I'll explain that at the bottom. As always enjoy!

Edit: lol thanks for the heads up guys, translation I read referred to him as onee, so my fault there. I should know better -_-

Link to the comic here: **http:// img152. imageshack. us / my. php? image = 60421943pf7. jpg **Just remove the spaces

* * *

Lelouch gave a fake gasp of surprise as the gun was slashed out of his hand. Drawing the sword back, Suzaku prepared the deliver the final thrust. Lelouch took a step back, a fake look of surprise and fear on his face. The expression melted as he closed his eyes and smiled. All the conditions had been met, he was going to die, and atone for his sins. He waited for the blade to pierce his body, tense and anxious. He heard the sickening squelch and crunch as the blade slid into the skin and broke past bones, destroying the body. He opened his eyes in realization; the sound hadn't come from his body. The body of a beautiful girl with long flowing green hair stood in front of him, a sword protruding from her body.

Lelouch opened his mouth in horror as he caught her before she hit the ground. "C.C.?!" He asked, voice filled with shock, panic, and pain.

C.C. smiled weakly, blood beginning to stain her clothes. "Don't try to die so recklessly…" She reached up and pulled him into a kiss. They broke apart after a few seconds, and C.C. squeezed Lelouch's hand tightly. Her forehead glowed a bright red as the hair covering it spread to reveal the code. A flash of pain erupted across Lelouch's forehead and disappeared as suddenly as it had come.

"No…" Lelouch muttered weakly, parting C.C.'s hair on her forehead. He gave a small gasp as he saw the skin was unmarked.

C.C. smiled sadly, tears leaking out of the corner of her eyes. "I'm sorry Lelouch, I'm so sorry. The idea of living alone again, without you…I suddenly became afraid…I don't want to live without you Lelouch." She stopped, her tone becoming weaker as she forced out the words she didn't want to hear the answer to. "I know you must hate me now, and I underst-"

"No!" Lelouch said sharply, causing C.C. to look up in surprise. "C.C., I could never hate you. I love you C.C., I love you more than anything."

C.C. smiled, tears pouring unrestrained from her eyes as she allowed her emotions to overtake her for the first time in centuries. "I love you too, Lelouch. I love you more than anything as well." She reached up weakly and grabbed Lelouch's hand, guiding it toward her. She placed it softly on top of the large bloodstain, on top of her heart. "It's slowing down...Finally, my heart…My heart is finally human again."

Lelouch gave a strangled choke as tears began to leak from his eyes as well.

"I never thought…That the wishes I desired most would be fulfilled by the same person. To be killed by the person I love…I'm so happy."

Lelouch hugged C.C. close to him, unable to contain his tears. "Wait for me C.C.! I won't leave you alone again, I promise! So please, just wait!"

C.C. reached up to stroke his cheek, her hand coming away wet. "I will Lelouch. Just for you." Her eyes began to shut slowly as her body relaxed in his arms. "Goodbye, my warlock." She whispered.

Lelouch smiled through his tears. "Goodbye, my witch."

C.C. gave a final, soft laugh, and went limp, a smile of true happiness on her face. Lelouch hugged her, crying for her and himself. Suddenly he raised his head, realizing his surroundings. "ZERO!" He yelled, voice cracking with emotion as he turned to his stunned friend. "Kill me now!" Suzaku thrust out for the second time, stabbing Lelouch through the heart. Thus, in front of the world, the Demon King and his Queen died.

* * *

"But I didn't die…" Lelouch whispered softly to himself. "The code that C.C. gave to me, my curse, it shall have me live an eternal life. I was foolish to think I could repent my sins through dying alone. This is the price I have to pay, for using the Geass." He looked down at the body he held in his arms. "C.C…I finally understand your pain. The pain of an eternal life." He looked at her face, tears threatening once more to break free. He smiled sadly and looked at her soft face. "She died, with a smile on her face. Just like…Just like I promised her." A single tear rolled down his cheek as he closed his eye. There was the soft swish of door as they opened. Light flooded into the dark room, illuminating its inhabitants.

Lelouch turned around to look at Suzaku, the man who would take his place as Zero. "Lelouch. Are you sure you want to do this?" He asked.

Lelouch nodded and spoke his tone calm and serious. "In this peaceful era we have no need for the powers of the Code or Geass. For the sake of this new world I have created, I'll seal myself and C.C. in this capsule. It will preserve our bodies so we may remain untouched by time."

Suzaku nodded, understanding most of it. "But why C.C. as well?"

Lelouch smiled sadly as he turned to his friend. "I don't want her to be alone anymore. She lived her life alone, lost in the hallways of time. The least I can do is keep her company until we meet again, in death."

Suzaku understood his friend's feelings; he had lost someone he loved as well. Turning, Suzaku pressed a button on the wall. There was the click and whir of machinery as the floors opened and a large object began to rise. "It's been modified to keep your bodies in the same state they are today. Nothing will touch them, and C.C. shall be undamaged by time."

Lelouch turned to look at the object rising from the floor. A small smile graced his face as he recognized the circular object. It was a capsule, the same one he had found C.C. in years ago. It opened with a soft click and a white mist leaked out. Taking a step forward, Lelouch prepared to step into the capsule until he was stopped by a voice he thought he would never hear again.

"Oni-sama!"

Lelouch turned in surprise as Nunnally was wheeled in by Sayoko. Nunnally gave a soft gasp as she saw the body of C.C. in his arms, the body of the girl who had been like a sister to her.

"C.C.-san" she whispered, tears forming at the corners of her eyes. "Oni-sama! Please don't go. You're the only person I have left! You're always so unfair, deciding things on your own. Please listen to me Onee-sama!"

Lelouch looked sadly at his beloved sister. _"Nunnally…That's good enough for me…"_ Turning his back on his sister, he stepped to the capsule. "DO IT, SUZAKU!" He yelled, unwilling to look back. Suzaku closed his eyes and whispered a goodbye to his one true friend. He reached out and pressed a switch on the control panel next to him, and the capsule began to close.

Nunnally reached out, crying. "Oni-sama! Oni-sama!"

Lelouch closed his eyes, trying to block out the sounds that were ravaging his already broken heart. "Goodbye, Nunnally…" He said softly. There was a hiss as the capsule closed, and Lelouch was plunged into total darkness. He hugged C.C. closer to him as he began drifting into an endless sleep.

**Rebellion…**

My Rebellion is over…

**Requiem…**

Once proof of my death circulates, The Zero Requiem Will Be Complete

**The Code and I are useless…**

Unless peace in the world is broken…

* * *

There was a soft click as the capsule opened. Lelouch was woken abruptly from his deep sleep. Opening his eyes he saw a young woman with long brown hair dressed in a strange outfit. Her beautiful blue eyes gazed in shock at the man inside the capsule. _Nunnally?!" _ Shaking his head, Lelouch looked at the object still in his arms. The memories rushed back as he looked at his fallen love. Putting her down softly, he raised his hand to his eyes, covering them. "Are you the one who woke me?" He asked, voice weak and scratchy from its period of rest.

The girl nodded, still shocked by the objects in the capsule.

Lelouch looked up to her, his violet eyes regaining their intelligent shine. "Let me hear your name." He asked, his voice returning to its natural deep confident tone.

The girl stood up straight and spoke proudly, regaining her composure. "My name is Lilia Vi Britannia, 115th Emperor and 4th Empress of the New Britannia Empire." Lelouch's eyes opened wide in shock. "When peace in the world is broken, open the capsule." Lilia continued. "That is the message that has been passed down for generations among our family."

Lelouch stepped out, body numb with shock as this information registered itself. Looking in the capsule, Lilia saw the body of C.C.. "Who is that?" She asked cautiously.

Turning to look, Lelouch smiled sadly. "That's my fallen angel. The one and only person who I will ever love." He turned around fully and rested his hand upon the lid. "I'll be back C.C…Don't worry, I won't leave you alone anymore." He whispered, pushing down. The capsule closed with a hiss, and a glimpse of green was the last he saw of her.

"What is the date?" Lelouch asked, wanting to know when he woke up.

"It is the year 2300." She said, waiting for a reaction.

Lelouch's legs began to shake as the words sunk in. He regained his composure with difficulty, his breathing a tad erratic. His brain rolled the new piece of information around, deviating hundreds of questions and assumptions from the simple fact.

Lilia broke the silence, asking curiously. "What is your name?"

"My name is Lel-" He stopped, realization dawning upon him as he thought of C.C.. "My name is R.R." Turning he looked at the Lilia, a smile began to form on his face. The code on his forehead began to glow red as his face was bathed in a soft red light. His violet eyes were bathed in a blood red light as the spark of intelligence and superiority that had cause his enemies to fear him and his friends returned to his eyes. Spreading his arms, he smiled in anticipation. "Now empress, let me hear your wish."

**Requiem**

Peace has been disrupted

**Rebellion**

The new rebellion has begun.

* * *

Finish! I hope you enjoyed it, I left quite a large cliffhanger for my next story. Which brings me to my next point. I will be doing two things for the next month or two that will keep me away from writing stories. I will be working on the sequel to this, think of it as a prologue. I plan on making it an actual story, one that will cover many chapters and will be an adventure (Something that is relatively new to me.) So yeah, I need to flesh out the story and get some shit down. It's in the future, so don't expect characters like Kallen, Jeremiah, etc...However, you will meet a few descendants of our favorite characters! Also! Second reason, I need to take it a bit easy on Code Geass. I rewatched both CG seasons and it reminded me, once again, why I fell in love and love CG. Lelouch and C.C.. I wrote my first fanfic on them, before I had even started watching the anime itself! So I will try to take a step back from CG. But of course I know I will never be able to forget those two... So anyways I'm done rambling.

**OH! VERY IMPORTANT! I need your opinion on what C.C.'S REAL NAME IS! It will be pivotal for my next story, so give me your idea. I don't care if you think it is stupid, as long as it has SOME evidence behind it or you can have a logical reason (Not like "I'm gonna name her Sally, because I like that name.") This is important, so i would love if you could help me out a bit =).**

As always R/R, and see you next time! Look forward to it, as I'm gonna put my heart and soul into this sequel!


	2. The New Rebellion

Hello everyone! I'm still in the progress of fleshing the story out, as I have reworked it many times. However no matter who many times I rework it this chapter and the next always remain the same! So I figured I would publish these next two chapters to keep you guys happy while I slave away lol. this chapter is rather short, as i was a bit pressed for time when writing it. But as always enjoy.

EDIT: Arg, so sorry about the mistype with Lelouch/R.R.. Still getting into the habit of using their names appropriately. And don't worry, Zero's betrayel, the current situation, I will exlain everythign in the next chapter. It will be like a cram fest! Without the pressure, or the cram.

* * *

"My wish?" Lilia asked with look of befuddlement on her face.

R.R. walked past her, examining his surroundings closely. By the looks of it they were in a basement. _"A very extravagant basement." _R.R. thought to himself. A gorgeous chandelier hung overhead, and fine oil paintings decorated the wall. A large window was on the other side of the room, but R.R. was too far away to see what lay beyond it. A table with a single lamp stood next to the capsule, R.R. guessed the button to reveal the capsule was hidden in it."You'll understand later. Where are we?"

"We are on board Damocles 2, the castle of New Britannia's emperors and empresses, currently in orbit above earth."

R.R. walked to the nearest window and peered outside. The earth stood silently in front of him, a small orb at this distance. He turned around, his face calm despite the amount of shocking information he had received. "Explain." He commanded, crossing his arms.

Lilia nodded nervously and began to recite the history of the space craft. "Years after the Demon King Lelouch was killed, the current emperor decided to re-build Damocles with current technology. He thought that it should be remade as a symbol as peace, seeing as it was the last valiant effort to stop the Demon King before he was killed by Zero."

R.R. forced himself not to smile as he listened. "_I accomplished my goal, I was remembered as the tyrant of evil. But how ironic is it that they honor the real villains?" _

"It was remade with recently developed technology giving it a number of upgrades." Lilia continued. "The most prominent of these upgrades was the ability to travel into space. It is currently the largest object created to last in space."

R.R. nodded, understanding. "Well, that explains much. Now, there is one more question I would like answered. For what reason have you woken me, Empress?"

Lilia shook her head and took a step forward. "I think it's time you answered one of my questions." She asked, her voice strong despite the hint of nervousness evident.

R.R. smirked and uncrossed his arms. "Fair enough. I am R.R. I-"

Damocles suddenly shook strongly, sending objects crashing tot he ground. Lilia gave a squeak as she fell, and the chandelier dropped from the ceiling shattering upon the floor upon the floor. R.R. was thrown to the ground, landing painfully on his back. He stood up, roughly grabbing Lilia, and they climbed up the stairs with difficulty, the sounds of explosions echoing in the distance. R.R. pulled Lilia up the stairs and another crash sent them to the ground. Swearing, R.R. managed to stand up as he looked out the window. What looked like a small car hovered near Damocles, and a large tube extended from it puncturing a hole in the side.

"EMPRESS LILIA!" A young man ran into the room, holding a gun. Another distant explosion sent him flying towards the ground. He skilfully raised his hands and turned his fall into a roll, emerging without a scratch.

_"Impressive. I should learn to do that. It would be nice to avoid injury. Oh wait, I'm immortal." _R.R. thought to himself, looking at the newcomer with interest.

His red hair was worn relatively short, it reached to his shoulders in the back. His muscled body moved quickly and efficiently with a Assault Rifle in his hands. "Princess Lili-" he stopped, spotting R.R.. He swiftly brought his gun up and aimed it at R.R.. "Back away from the princess, and put your hands behind your head." He said calmly.

R.R. smirked and walked toward the man. "And what will you do about it?"

"I'll kill you, for laying a hand on the Empress." He said coolly, his finger resting steadily upon the trigger.

"Stop it!" Lilia yelled, running forward to put herself in between the two. "We're allies here, so please calm down! This person, R.R. is here to help us!"

The man lowered his gun slowly, still keeping an eye on R.R.. "Yes, my lord."

R.R. stopped walking forward and spoke to the man. "And who might you be? You look rather young to be such an important figure."

The man looked R.R., and R.R. realized his eyes were a bright red. "I am Roy Kōzuki! Proud descendant of The Red Flash Kallen Kōzuki and the Knight of Three Gino Weinburg!" He said fiercly, a flame burning in his red eyes.

Lelouch relaxed and involuntarily smiled. _"Should have known. Kallen....Your descendant will live in your footsteps, he will become my new Q-1. Thank you, Kallen." _Lelouch walked toward the man and held out a hand in welcome, body relaxed. Roy looked at the hand suspiciously, but sensing R.R.'s relaxed state he took his hand. Another explosion punctured Damocles, this one larger than the others. The sound of bullets occupied the air as men poured into the hallway leading to the room. Roy swore as he turned to return fire, retreating behind the corner. Lilia and R.R. stood behind him as he poked his head out, effectively taking down the advancing troops.

"Where are the Knightmares?!" R.R. yelled to Lilia.

Lilia looked up, her head under her hands. "Knightmares? We don't have Knightmares anymore!"

R.R. gaped in shock. "What?!"

Lilia gave a small gasp as the section of wall above her head exploded. "No! The previous Emperor decided in this time of peace that Knightmares were not needed! Only two Knightmares remain as of now!"

R.R. gritted his teeth in frustration and peered around the corner. _"I could try and take them on, I am immortal....No, the code grants me immortality only. I can still be rendered unconscious or crippled, leaving me defenseless until my wounds heal. And by the time they do it will be too late. Wait..." _"ROY!"

Roy looked down at R.R., who was crouching at his side. "What? I'm kind of busy here, so make it worth my time!" He yelled back, shooting a quick burst and taking out a soldier who had ventured to close.

"Aim 30 degrees upward and fire a 5 second burst!"

Roy looked at him with confusion. "But I won't even hit anything!"

R.R. flinched as he felt a bullet puncture his arm. "Just do it!"

Roy aimed his gun upward and quickly let loose. The ceiling burst apart against the onslaught, and pieces fell down, landing on the advancing soldiers. Cries of pain and shock emanated as they were crushed by the falling debris. One of the soldiers fell backward in chock as his friends and comrades were unmercifully crushed. His cry of horror was cut short by a burst from Roy's gun. The dust cleared and Damocles fell silent once more. R.R. stepped from the corner and walked forward, oblivious to the carnage. He was used to it. He bent down to retrieve a pistol from a dying man, ignoring his feeble attempts to stop him. Roy guided Lilia, whispering reassuringly to her as she tried to stem the tears while walking among the rubble and bodies of the dead. Lelouch walked down the hall, stopping at the large hole created as an entrance.

He stepped into the tube, Roy and Lilia following him. The ship was rather large and comfortable, six seats were on each side and the door to the cockpit was a few step away. A large TV screen rested on the section of wall next to the door.

A man sat in an elegant chair on the television. A familiar figure stood next to him, a also familiar sword buckled to his side. The man raised an eyebrow as he observed the newcomers. "Oh, you weren't what I was expecting. Does this mean you killed my men?"

R.R. nodded, staring intently at the figure next to the man. Although his face remained impassive, his mind reeled and struggled to accept the figure next to him. Zero, in his masked and caped glory, stood next to the emperor. On his side was a sword R.R. remembered all to well. It was the sword that took C.C.'s life, and would have taken his life as well had the plan gone correctly.

The man chuckled at the news of his mens death. "And who should I applaud for this victory?" He looked to Roy, who was glaring at the man with intense hatred. "Roy? No, you aren't smart enough to be able to take on that many men and win." Roy swore at the man who brushed it off. He turned to Lilia and shook his head. "Of course it wouldn't be you." His eyes rested upon R.R. and he looked at him curiously. "You're a new face. I assume we haven't met?"

"Yes. And who might you be?" R.R. asked calmly, examining the man. His handsome face was thin, long black hair obscured his eyes and rolled down his back. And yet his eyes shone brightly through the curtain of hair, they were a piercing white.

The man chuckled softly, leaning forward and resting his chin on a hand. "Oh, and is this the secret that has been passed down for generations? The legendary weapon of peace?"

_"How does he know about the secret? Either he is a member of the royal family, or perhaps a servant. One thing is clear though, he had to live in Damocles. That's why he knew where to hit for the most damage, and-" _

R.R.'s thoughts were interrupted as the man nodded. "I guess your silence means that you are agreeing and that you know nothign about me. Very well, I shall tell you who I am. My former name is of no value. The name I have adopted is everything to me, and I vow to recreate the world in his name. I am Lelouch Vi Britannia, The Demon King. I will bring this weak and peaceful world to its knees, and recreate the Old Britannian Empire!"

* * *

And finished! As a heads up, Lelouch Lamperouge will be referred to as R.R. from now on, since the main villians name is Lelouch. This isn't my best chapter sadly. I wrote this and went back on it, vut I couldn't get that satisfied feeling out of it. Nonetheless I hope you enjoy it. Oh, thank you to all the helpful reviews! A special thanks to those who suggested C.C.'s name, you're making my life so much easier lol. Next chapter will be mostly catch me up, I'll tell you guys what has happend and changed in this new era. As always, R/R and look forward tot he next chapter =). I plan on making this a story worth reading over and over and I hope you will enjoy the end results.


	3. Catching Up

Hey everyone! FAT CHAPTER HERE! Lots of words here people xD. Sorry for the long wait as this chapter was a bit hard to write. However I hope the cliffhanger at the end is worth it. ZOMG THE SUSPENSE! As always, enjoy! And happy thanksgiving! Gobble Gobble!

EDIT: Zomg stupid mistakes, thanks for the heads up. I wrote "Battle of Narnia" instead "Battle of Narita", and I meant the year "2150" instead of "2550". This is why I need someone to beta xD

* * *

"I guess your silence means that you are agreeing. Very well, I shall tell you who I am. My former name is of no value. The name I have adopted is everything to me, and I vow to recreate the world in his name. I am Lelouch Vi Britannia, The Demon King. I will bring this weak and peaceful world to its knees, and recreate the Old Britannian Empire!"

Lelouch suppressed the urge to laugh. This mans ego was huge.

Roy swore and barked angrily toward the screen. "Why do you desire war and power so much?! We were all happy with peace!"

Lelouch yawned, mocking Roy. He leaned forward and grinned maliciously. "You may have been happy Roy. But I wasn't. All I need now is a queen, and I will be The Demon King. Maybe some random bitch like Lelouch had. Knowing him I bet he didn't even love her! She was probably his slu-"

The TV screen exploded suddenly. Lilia instinctively put her hands over her head and Roy raised his own arms to block his face. He looked up to see R.R. holding the pistol he had taken from the body out, smoke coming out of the sleek barrel. R.R.'s hand gripped the handle tightly as he lowered the weapon, his face impassive. "That bastard." R.R. whispered softly.

Roy raised an eyebrow at R.R.'s sudden outburst and was about to ask the reason behind it when Lilia spoke up. "Lets get out of here." She said softly, beginning to stand up.

"No." R.R. commanded, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Tell me everything. I have a lot of catching up to do."

Lilia paused before nodding and sitting down.

R.R. took a deep breath and leaned back. "What is Damocles in this age and time? Is it a symbol? You said it was the biggest object in space. Shouldn't technology have increased enough to make things like this insignificant?"

Lilia nodded. "Yes, Damocles is the royal castle for the Emperor and Empress. The royal family rules here and has for years. Damocles was one of the biggest objects in space, but ti was dwarfed by planetary stations and colonies. But then as a show of power, that he controlled your life and your fate, Lelouch destroyed them all except Damocles. He hopes to capture it and rule from it, becoming what he has always thought the Emperor should be. A god."

Lelouch nodded and tapped his finger against the arm rest on the seat. "Lelouch. Who is he? When did he come to power?"

Roy spoke, his tone melancholy. "Lelouch had been a member of the royal bloodline, third heir to the throne. He never showed much promise, and was generally forgotten. Lilia was thought to be the perfect Empress when the time came, everyone said she resembled the first Empress Nunnally in both looks and personality. Because of this he spent much of his time reading, spending hours in the Royal Library, pouring over books. He was often alone as a child, and despite Lilia's attempts she would always be too busy to see him. One day Lilia found him reading a history book on The New Britannian empire."

Lilia took over for Roy since she had been the one there. "I found him reading one chapter over and over. He would finish and then start again, it was like he wanted to burn the words into his brain. I looked at what he was reading, and it was the chapter of Lelouch Vi Britannia, known to many as The Demon King. I thought it was merely a childhood fancy, he was only ten at the time. But it wasn't and over time he grew more aggressive and short tempered. He began to refer to himself as Lelouch and carried the book with him at all times. He began to draw battle plans, elaborate and complicated, unnecessary in this age. One day, when he was sixteen, he disappeared. He resurfaced two years later with an army at his back. He quickly took control, catching most nations by surprise. He currently controls 70% of the worlds land, with the Chinese Federation, one of the longest lasting and respected countries left to oppose him. Once he conquers them, he will truly have become his idol The Demon King." Lilia finished, tears beginning to leak out of her eyes.

R.R. leaned forward and placed his head between his fingers. He massaged his temples slowly and asked calmly to Roy. _"So..He desires attention." _"How does he rule?"

Roy gritted his teeth and clenched his fist. "He's..He's...A demon. in most parts those who support him and are close to him live in complete fashion, with mansions, servants, anything they want. They have a city to themselves, with a large outer wall keeping unwanted out. The majority of the population live in ruins, struggling to survive. He enforces complete control over them. If any sign of rebellion is shown, he cuts off their food supply and lets them die."

"And what of Zero?" R.R. asked. "Why is he siding with Lelouch?"

Roy shook his head sadly and shrugged his shoulders. "No one knows. They were seen together often during their time in Damocles. When Lelouch disappeared Zero stayed by Lilia's side. When he resurfaced he left, and soon joined Lelouch."

R.R. nodded, things were beginning to become clear. "And what role does Zero have in all of this?"

"The first Empress, Nunnally, worked side by side with Zero. It proved to be an incredible team, as New Britannia was created and the world flourished. After they died-"

R.R. raised a hand to cut her off. "Where were they buried?" He asked softly.

Lilia blinked in surprise and answered. "They were buried in the royal cometary. They requested before their deaths to be buried together."

R.R. smiled and motioned for Lilia to continue.

"As I was saying, ever since then a Zero has served with the Emperor or Empress, acting as an advisor and partner. Zero's identity is never revealed, and those close to him when he is picked are sworn to keep the secret."

"Does anyone here know the current Zero's identity?" R.R. asked, already knowing the answer.

Lilia shook her head. "No, one of the first things Lelouch did when he emerged was send assassins to kill people possibly associated with him."

R.R. mused to himself, his brain hard at work. _"So Lelouch knows the current Zero's identity...Could he be using it as blackmail? Or is their some direct link to his identity and Lelouch..." _"What about the Knightmares?" R.R. asked, looking Roy in the eye. Roy sighed depressingly and spoke, his tone full of shame. "As of now only two Knightmares exist in the world. After the battle for control of the world between Prince Schenizel and The Demon King, 70% of the worlds Sakuradite was destroyed and Knightmares became more scarce and ultimately began to lose their value. Humanity learned to live and function without the machines. In 2150, an event called the Great Purge happened. Every nation came to an agreement that the remaining Knightmares should be destroyed, as they were an incredibly dangerous threat to humanity should they fall into the wrong hands. Plus they were only brought out nowadays to do heavy tasks and generally were useless. Only two Knightmares were saved, to serve as monuments. The great minds Lloyd Asplund and Rakshata Chawla worked together to recreate the Guren Mk-II and the Lancelot. They were recreated as the first version of each, I guess a joke between those two. The Guren Mk-II was placed in Tokyo, the capital of Japan, to serve as a monument to all who died in Japan's long and glorious struggle. The Lancelot was given to Zero, and the key as well. From then on Zero also took the role as protector of peace."

R.R. groaned as Roy talked. "So that means Lancelot is in Zero's hands....Where is the Guren Mk-II?"

Roy swore in anger and slammed his hand on the arm rest. "It's in Japan....In the hands of Lelouch's third in command, General Natsume." Roy reached behind his neck and slipped a necklace over his head. Dangling on the end was an all to familiar sight to R.R., the Guren Mk-II's key. "I will get it back though." He said quietly, squeezing the Guren Mk-II key tightly in his hand.

"You will. The Guren Mk-II, Kallen's prized possession, is defiled by the touch of that man." R.R. said, his voice hard and cold. Roy looked up in surprise before nodding his head, his face determined. "Give me a general layout of the world, where Lelouch's forces are strongest, weakest, everything" R.R. asked Roy.

"Currently Lelouch resides in Pendragon, his self proclaimed temporary capital until he claims Damocles. It's on the border to China, and Zero also resides there. He has four DSHM, Destructive Space Homing Missiles planted around the world with the major one and the control center in Japan. The DSHM are what he uses to control orbit and space, as any ship not familiar and with a personal transponder is destroyed. The bulk of his forces are in China, who they are at war with. His third in command and the Guren Mk-II are in Japan right now." Roy continued, listing off locations and tactical placements. R.R. nodded, every piece of information he received seemed to reinforce the plan building inside his head.

Roy soon finished and R.R. stood up."First we are going to take Japan."

Roy looked up at him in shock and Lilia gave a small gasp of "why!"

R.R. looked at them all, his violet eyes glinting. "Lelouch's forces are currently deployed in China, it will take a while for him to react. Also if we can eliminate his third in command, the chain of command will fall apart and we can go straight for Lelouch and Zero. The Guren Mk-II is also there, we need to reclaim that in order to have a chance against a fight with Zero. We need to establish a headquarters, a country where we can launch our assaults against Lelouch. You can't do much from a small ship. Plus, Japan has a history of war and rebellion." He smiled grimly. "And I must say, they're rather good at it."

Roy nodded as he examined the plan of assault. He nodded satisfied after a few minutes. "It sounds good. Lets get in there and kick some ass!"

R.R. raised a hand, motioning for Roy to calm down. "I need to go down there by myself for a while. In order to perform a good rebellion I need to create a strong underground network and get a good idea of the area. Japan's probably changed quite a bit."

Roy raised an eyebrow as he looked at R.R.. "Just how old are you? And who ARE you anyway?"

R.R. turned to Roy and their gaze met. Roy struggled to fight the urge to shudder as R.R.'s sharp amethyst eyes bored into his own. "I don't have any obligation to tell you right now."

* * *

The doors slid open with a hiss as R.R., Roy, and Lilia walked into the lab of Damocles. A tall skinny man with short neat white hair sat at a chair slumped over a large panel. His glasses slid to the tip of his nose as he examined the complicated equations and formulas on the screen in front of him. R.R. found himself impressed with the mans work, it seemed that math doesn't change. The man brought a cigar to his mouth and took a long inhale. He expertly shot out a small smoke ring and leaned back, rubbing his hair with his free hand.

"Smoking kills Benny." Roy said, walking up to the man.

Benny chuckled and turned to Roy. "Not anymore Roy. Remember? Safe cigarettes, all the punch without the kill. Not as strong as the old ones though." He sighed longingly, then noticed the newcomer. He stood up and put his hand sin his pockets and began walking over to R.R..

R.R. observed the man, already guessing who this man was. _"Fascination with smoke? Strike one. White hair? Strike two. All we need is one more."_

Benny walked up to Lelouch and shoved his face in front of his and stared him in the eye. He suddenly swung back and began laughing. He then collapsed onto the floor and struck a pose. Roy and Lilia sat down as well, chuckling at Benny's usual antics.

R.R. sat down himself, relaxing. _"Weird, quirky, and strikes a pose when sitting or lying down? Yup, we have a Rakshata Lloyd child here. Good, I'm going to need all the brains I can get." _

Benny turned to Roy and smiled toothily. "And who might this be? He certainly has an odd sense of style."

Roy laughed and pushed Benny over. "Like you should be talking. All you ever wear are your lab coats! This is R.R., newest member to our merry band. I thought we would introduce him to you, and maybe you could show him all the new gadgets from the year 2300."

Benny raised an eyebrow and looked at R.R.. "Oh, so you were the prize inside the capsule?" R.R. nodded and Benny laughed, standing up. "Excellent! Well first we need to get you a NCLRC, or as we like to call it, a bluetooth."

R.R. stood up and followed Benny, curious. "A bluetooth? Wait, NCLRC?"

Benny stopped at his station, and after rummaging in a drawer emerged with a small pad and a silver arm band. "Yup! Neurally Connected Long Range Communication. Here!" He said cheerily, handing him the new items. Lelouch looked at them, and despite his incredible intelligence couldn't figure out what in gods name to do with them. Benny laughed as he realized his mistake. "Sorry sorry! Put the pad in your mouth and attach it to the top of your mouth, and hold it there for five seconds." R.R. opened his mouth and slipped it in, pushing it to the top of his mouth. He began counting, and almost chocked in surprise when he reached five. The pad had disappeared from the top of his mouth, and a cold chilling sensation had washed over his brain.

"What happened?" He asked, rubbing the top of his mouth with his tongue.

Benny smiled and crossed his arms. "It melded with your mouth, and once it melded completely it bypassed layers of bone and muscle to reach your brain, where it attached itself. You now have, to be blunt, a phone in your brain. Watch." Benny pulled his sleeve up and poked his arm a few times. "Hello, R.R." He whispered.

The voice echoed in R.R.'s head clearly, it was if someone had stood behind him and whispered to him in a completely silent room. R.R. shook his head in amazement. "How do I dial?" He asked Benny.

Benny reached over and grabbed the arm band. He walked over to R.R. and slid it on his arm. The armband shimmered as it gripped R.R.'s skin. With a small hiss it clamped onto his arm, and melted. R.R. looked in fascination as he saw skin meld over the armband, it didn't hurt at all. "Now just wave your hand over your arm and you will have a number pad and keyboard. Just type what you want, or you can let it read your mind. Reading the mind is a bit risky, we still haven't figured it out completely." Benny said, a large grin on his face.

R.R. sighed as he took a mental note. R.R. turned toward Lilia and examined his arm curiously. "I assume you have one of these as well?"

She smiled and wrapped an arm around Roy, who blushed and looked away. "Of course! Everyone does! Here, we need to exchange numbers." She walked over to R.R., pulling Roy with her. She waved her hand over her arm and a silver band like the one R.R. had recieved shimmered into view. She touched hers with his, and after a second a small beeping sound emerged from the two devices. She smiled and clapped her hands. "There! Now all you need to do is type my name into your armband and it will call me!"

R.R. nodded as he exchanged numbers with everyone else, and the armband shimmered back under his skin once he was done. "All right. I'll be heading down to Japan. Since we can't go down by ships since we will get destroyed, I assume you have some other way?"

Lilia nodded and led him out the door and down a long extravagant hallway. R.R. examined the old and beautifully drawn oil paintings as they passed. Former emperor and empresses smiled at him as he walked along, trapped forever in time. The now familiar hiss of the door alerted R.R. that they had arrived. He looked at one more picture before he left, and smiled at it. Nunnally sat in a simple chair, a warm smile gracing her beautiful peaceful face. Her soft blue eyes looked at Lelouch as her unmoving lips whispered to him. "Hello, Onii-sama."

_"Hello, Nunnally."_

His thoughts were interrupted as Lilia tugged his sleeve. R.R. took one more look at his beloved sister before stepping into the room. It was a small room, with a single medium sized piece of machinery next to the door. In the middle of the room a small platform was raised, with a wide circle in the middle of it. The circle pulsed a cool blue and radiated a calm light.

Lilia moved to the control panel and bit her lip as she looked at the large piece of machinery. Pointing toward the platform, she instructed R.R.. "Can you stand on the platform? On the blue circle please!" R.R. walked toward and stepped onto the blue circle. He shivered as his feet connected with it, the cold spread from his feet throughout his body. "This is your first teleport right? You can use these once every twelve hours, it's two way. Whatever you do don't get followed. This is the only thing keeping Lelouch from capturing Damocles. It's going to be a bit uncomfortable, but stick with me!" She called over to him. R.R. shivered again and nodded. "Ready! Teleport online, all systems normal. 3. 2." The circle underneath R.R.'s feet flashed upward in a blinding light. He gasped in surprise as the light enveloped him, and he dimly heard Lilia shout "1! Transportation is all clear!" A searing pain shot through his body, and his blood turned to ice. He resisted the urge to scream as he shut his eyes. There was the scream of machinery, and everything went black.

* * *

R.R. hit the ground with a thump. He let out a strangled gasp, sweat pouring down his body. His body felt numb and cold, and his stomach turned uncomfortably in his body. He raised his hand to his mouth, the bitter taste of bile in his mouth. Collapsing on the ground, R.R. panted as he waited for his body to regain feeling and his stomach stop twisting. He looked around, trying to determine his new location.

_"It seems like I'm in a cave of some sort." _He raised his head and examined the roof. Icicles hung on the top, glistening and dripping water into a pool. The eerie plunk of the water drops echoed around the cavern and brought up an old memory of R.R.'s. With a start R.R. realized where he was. The cave where he had learned C.C.'s name, the cave where he had cleaned her wounds in the Battle of Narita. He pulled his weakened body over to the pool he watched the drops of water land with soft plunks. The number of water drops hitting the pool increased as R.R. shared his own, shedding a silent tear for C.C.. He rubbed his eyes and stood up weakly, legs shaking from the effort. Grasping the side of the cave for support he walked forward, leaving the cave and entering the new world.

R.R. sat on a hovering chair in a beautiful park as he waited for his leg to twist back into place. He winced as the bones forcefully melded as one. Walking down a mountain covered in snow was harder than it looked. He leaned back in the odd egg shaped chair, grateful for the self warming cushions and protection it offered. He smiled weakly as he watched other people lounging in them, some with the opening shut as they slept or sought refuge from the cold weather.

_"Replacing, cold, hard wooden benches with hovering self heated comfy egg chairs? Good call." _His satisfaction turned to anger and pity as he remembered the condition of the people who had lived outside the walls of General Natsume's personal section. They rummaged through broken houses, grasping at what little cover they could find. R.R. shuddered despite the warm chair as he remembered the young boy who had stripped the clothes off his dead mother, the tears freezing in the weather as they rolled down his face. He stood up, suddenly disgusted with the chair. He walked down the street, ignoring the cars flying feet above his head. "I should get some money first." He murmured to himself absentmindedly. He looked up at the towering skyscrapers and buildings. Cars zoomed around them, following invisible roads. They pulled into parking lots located on the roof and at the top of the floors, locking their cars and removing the hover feature. R.R. wrapped his arms around himself as he trudged onward. He silently cursed himself for not thinking ahead, he was still wearing the prison clothes he had crawled into the capsule with 300 years ago. He paused as he passed by a particularly large skyscraper. He peered in and grinned victoriously. Money would be easy if he could just get meet one more condition. He stepped into the casino, the bright lights and sounds of coins and cash smothered everything else. He forced the urge to sigh as he looked around. Slot machines and roulette's were the majority, it seemed no matter how much humanity advanced their stupidity and and hope in luck would never change.

R.R. walked up to a man lounging at the bar, downing drinks. It seemed his luck and friends had run out on him so he had turned to the only thing that wouldn't run out. Alcohol. Tapping his shoulder, R.R. asked him carefully. "Excuse me sir. I'm new here and I was wondering where the Chess gambling section is."

The man blinked a few times before pointing to a nearby elevator. "Third floor" He slurred, taking another deep drink.

R.R. thanked the man and stepped into the elevator, passing a girl dressed in a skimpy bunny outfit. The elevator hummed slightly as it vibrated, and within a second he heard the familiar Ding! of arrival. He stepped out of the elevator and entered a large comfortable room. Gone were the sounds colors and lights that attracted tourists. Here was were the big money was passed around. Single tables were laid out with two comfortable chairs on each end.

R.R. raised an eyebrow in surprise as he saw a man push an image of a rook forward. _"Holograms. More efficient. Probably hack proof as well. Impressive." _

He walked up to the nearest person, a young woman scowling at her chess board, and asked sweetly "Will you point me to the most skilled chess player here? I'm in a rush and I would prefer to win a large amount fairly quickly." An immediate hush fell around the room as heads turned to the naive newcomer.

A large noble laughed and R.R. winced as the sound entered his ear, it was high and whiny, corrupt and painful. "You want to play against the Black Queen? Hah! The day when someone beats her is the day I walk outside and become a conquered!" The patrons in the room laughed at this unlikely and hilarious claim. R.R. ignored the laughter and asked the woman again. She pointed to a door on the other side of the room, still chuckling. He walked over, ignoring the jeers and mocks off Lelouch's favored servants and friends. He pushed the door open and walked into the room, shutting it as he stepped in. He squinted his eyes as he entered the room. A comfy chair sat in front of a table with a well worn, regular wooden chessboard on it. A single candle sat next to the chessboard, giving off a soft glow that hid the person behind it. A pair of long slender legs rested upon the table.

R.R. nodded approvingly of the old chess set. "Nice touch."

The figure laughed and pointed a foot in his direction. "You look rather good. I might actually have to try."

R.R. took a step back, his eyes beginning to widen in shock. He had HEARD that voice before, the distant, cold, mocking tone with sadness and loneliness buried underneath. The person noticed his actions and leaned forward into the light. R.R. backed into the wall, his eyes wide, body numb, and mouth feebly opening and clothing as he tried to speak. The girl played with her long silky green hair as she stared at him. Her beautiful hard face was emotionless as she examined him, and violet eyes met violet eyes as she smirked. "What's wrong?" She taunted, twirling a lock of beautiful green hair between two fingers. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

* * *

And finished. Phew, thanks for sticking with that. The history might have been boring but it is necessary lol. Sorry if I made mistakes, writing that was HARD. It made my brain fizz. Thanks everyone for the reviews, they make me feel special and fuzzy inside.(Thanks to HellFire for the suggestion on Knightmares! Makes it MUCH more plausible!)

**IMPORTANT!: **I've narrowed C.C.'s real name choices down to 3. Let me know in your review which one you like and think would fit best in this type of story.

**Elizabeth: Victorian/European name, has the most evidence and logic behind it (see reviews, there are 5-6 reviews with solid evidence).  
**

**Shizuku: Japanese name, is pronounced similarly to the way C.C.'s name is pronounced and means "drop of water" in Japanese. The scene in which C.C. told Lelouch her name was muted by a drop of water. **

**Lucia: I don't know...Spirit HellFire suggested it and I took a liking to it lol.**

So yeah, if you could tell me what your choice would be that would be awesome. Some of you might have guessed why I'm asking for her name, but don't spoil it for everyone else! Also one more thing (Man I'm such a needy bastard) I would love it if someone could begin to Beta-Read my chapters. It's always nice to have someone else look at it from a different perspective. Just get in touch with me through a message or email (which is on my profile).

Anyways if you still have questions about plot, setting, character history, let me know and I will incorporate the answer in a new chapter or rework an old one. As always, enjoy, R/R, and look forward tot he next chapter! (Ironically I already have the last two chapters written. Fleshing out the story is what is difficult for me xD)


	4. The Power of Kings

Hey again! Sorry for the long wait, life's been hectic. Finals in a few weeks, mother in hospital, onslaught of homework....ughhh. The first paragraph is the last paragraph of last chapter...Kinda like a "LAST EPISODE!" from Pokemon. Ya know? Anyways enjoy!

Huge thanks to Spirit HellFire and Velshard for Beta-Reading. You guys rock, wish i could fit in every single suggestion. Would make story a lot better lol.

EDIT: Blarg, I know the King Check is an illegal chess move. I only learned that AFTER I wrote this chapter. So stick with me and make up your own explanation. Mebbe the rules have changed 300 years in the future, or someting lol. once again, sorry!

**Chapter 4: The Power of Kings**

* * *

The figure laughed and pointed a foot in his direction. "You look rather good. I might actually have to try."

R.R. took a step back, his eyes beginning to widen in shock. He had HEARD that voice before, the distant, cold, mocking tone with sadness and loneliness buried underneath. The person noticed his actions and leaned forward into the light. R.R. backed into the wall, his eyes wide, body numb, and mouth feebly opening and clothing as he tried to speak. The girl played with her long silky green hair as she stared at him. Her beautiful hard face was emotionless as she examined him, and violet eyes met violet eyes as she smirked. "What's wrong?" She taunted, twirling a lock of beautiful green hair between two fingers. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

* * *

"_Wait, violet eyes? Like mine? This can't be C.C.! I left her body in Damocles!"_ R.R. forced himself to calm down, his ragged breathing slowing down as he willed his legs to stop shaking. He took a weak step forward, the girl still observing his odd actions. Pulling out the chair, with great difficulty, he forced himself to sit down and look the girl in the face. There was no way this girl was C.C....But they looked so similar. From the thin lips gracefully curled in a small frown, to the soft pale skin glowing luminously against the candles soft glow. The normally gold eyes were now a deep purple, but they still retained their hard appearance. Yet if R.R. looked close enough, he could see the weakness and desires of this outwardly strong girl.

"Your name." He asked softly.

"Excuse me?" She answered.

"Your name...what is your name?"

She leaned back and smirked, crossing her arms over her chest. "For now I'm the Black Queen. I believe white goes first. Make your move."

R.R. scowled and leaned forward. He grabbed his right knight and moved it forward two spaces and one to the left.

The Black Queen raised an eyebrow and leaned forward. "A Réti Opening? How bold. No one uses those anymore, it's quite fun to play against someone who knows how to execute a strategy. Perhaps I should try the King's Indian?"

R.R. swore inwardly as he watched her masterfully place her pieces. "_Damn her....She's better than Schneizel! But I beat Schneizel, so I can and will beat her! I'm going to find out who you REALLY are." _

**30 Minutes Later**

R.R. looked at the chessboard, his handsome face the picture of concentration. On the other side of the table the Black Queen sat with her long slender legs crossed, her chin resting on her hand. Deep in thought, both of them examined the chess board. Each of them had thwarted countless moves and strategies, and it had taken a toll on both.

The Black Queen leaned back and looked R.R. calmly in the eye. "You're good. Too good. Who are you?"

R.R. raised an eyebrow and reached down to the chessboard. "I'm your opponent. And I'm quite certain this game is over."

The Black Queen laughed and looked down at the chessboard. "Are you kidding me? We've forced each other into a corner. This chess match isn't going anywhere."

R.R. picked up his king and moved it in front of hers. The girl across him gave a shocked gasp. "Check." R.R. said sweetly.

The Black Queen surveyed the chessboard and flinched as she saw what R.R. had done. His queen lay to the side, in striking position. Either she moved her king and took his, or his queen would take her king. She looked up at R.R., who relaxed in his chair, his eyes watching her, waiting for her move. Her hand bawled into a fist at the problem before her. Should she capture his king? Or let him beat her? Either way, he had forced her into a dead end. Either way she lost. Her body slumped as she sighed in defeat. "You win." She mumbled, her long green hair falling around her as she bowed her head in defeat.

R.R. leaned forward, confirming what he had heard. "You could just take my king."

The girl's head shot up as she looked R.R. in the eye, her tone full of anger and disgust. "I don't take pity from strangers. I won't be looked down upon by you. Collect your winnings and leave."

R.R. smiled softly, gently grabbing her arm. "I will, but first come with me. It has to do with the people outside. Do you like them?"

The girl laughed coldly as she stood up. "Like them? Half the men try to hit on me every time I leave for the bathroom. Rotten obese pigs."

R.R. chuckled as he opened the door. "You'll like what's going to happen then."

The door exploded open and the people in the room looked in shock as R.R. dragged the pretty young lady out of the room.

"What's going on?" The large noble from before asked.

R.R. smirked victoriously and wrapped an arm around the girl. "It just so happens I beat The Black Queen here."

A shocked silence filled the room until a voice called out weakly. "Is it true?"

The Black Queen nodded, eying the arm on her shoulder wearily. There were a few hushed whispers and claps here and there.

The large noble snorted and stood up facing the two. "So what? You beat someone at chess."

R.R. laughed as he glared at the noble. "I believe you said something before I entered? Was it that if I won against the Black Queen you would strip your clothes and go live with the, what did you call them? Conquered?"

A hush fell over the room as all eyes fell upon the large noble. He stammered and pulled at his collar, sweating profusely. He desperately looked to his colleagues for help. They stared back at him, waiting to see what he would do. The man waved his hand over his arm and R.R. saw a silver armband appear like the one he had received earlier. His hand quickly typed a number and he remained silent until the other end picked up. "Hello, security? Yes, I have two cheaters here. Yes, they have cheated us out of possibly thousands of dollars. Arrest? No, I suggest execution in the long run. These two delinquents are a threat to Emperor Lelouch's society and must be disposed of. Thank you." He stopped talking and looked to R.R. and the Black Queen, a smirk on his face. "You punks! I'll kill you boy, but maybe I'll keep the girl. I do need another maid."

The Black Queen's eyes hardened as her hands bawled into a fist. She was about to walk up and slap him when R.R. ran past him, grabbing her arm and pulling her along. "Now is not the time! We need to get out of here, FAST!" They ran out of the room, panting as the alarms began to scream through out the building. "Where is the security center?!" R.R. asked The Black Queen, desperately scanning his surroundings.

"F-First floor!" The Black Queen answered, her normally calm and stoic face beginning to pale.

R.R. swore as he pulled The Black Queen down the stairs. R.R. felt his heart beat and strain as he sprinted down the stairs. His legs throbbed painfully every time they collided with the step and his breathing was ragged and harsh. "_D-Damn it! I...I'm not...Suzaku!"_

They reached the bottom of the stairs and turned the corner. R.R. grabbed the Black Queen and pulled them both to the ground. The walls above them shattered as bullets destroyed the spot their heads had been. Screams began to emerge as people stood up and massed, trying to escape the chaos around them. R.R. grabbed onto The Black Queens hand, pulling her up. The security tried to regain order, bullying and shepherding the panicked people. There was a burst of fire and a young man fell down, clutching his bleeding arm as he screamed in pain. The people grew more panicked and fights broke out as they fought to reach the doors. The weak and unlucky were trampled as R.R. and The Black Queen pushed their way through the crowd. R.R. shoved his way past a young woman, flinching as he felt his hamstring rip. He forced his body onward, aware of the searing pain in his legs and armed with the knowledge that if he failed to escape it would be over before it began.

"THERE!" A voice called out. R.R. ducked his head as the man behind him fell down clutching his shoulder, bullet holes in the wall behind him.

"Here!" The Black Queen called to him, pointing to the door on the other side of the room. They fought their way there and kicked the door open, entering a large conference room. A long table with comfy chairs on each side dominated the center and the left side was made up of windows granting the viewer and impressive view of the city. They had little time to relax as two members of security entered the room, guns raised.

"Hands up you bastards!" One of them yelled, his voice angry and impatient.

The girl next to R.R. was about to complain until R.R. laid a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Don't. He's about to snap." R.R. whispered. She nodded as they stood up slowly. R.R. looked at the window out of the corner of his eye. "How high are we?" He mouthed to her, careful not to catch the attention of the guards who were examining the room.

"A hundred or so feet. I can't remember, it could be higher." She whispered back.

R.R. gulped and grinned nervously at her. "Times like this I wish I was Suzaku or Kallen. Ready?"

She blinked in surprise, her large violet eyes opened wide. "For what?"

R.R. suddenly turned and grabbed The Black Queen, scooping her up in his arms and carrying her bridal style. The guards turned in shock at the sudden action, and the volatile one shouted as he fired at them. "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!" R.R. almost stumbled as a bullet punctured his foot but he jumped over the table and crashed through the window.

* * *

R.R. fought the urge to vomit as he hurled toward the ground at a sickeningly fast pace. The girl in his arms had curled up in shock and was tightly buried in his chest. Wind rushed in R.R.'s face, propelling his dark hair upwards as he plummeted downward. R.R. glanced desperately around as he fell, looking for something to grab onto, something to slow him down. People below pointed upwards and screamed as the object fell from the building, easily a hundred feet in the air. R.R. spied a flag pole hanging on the side of a building he was hurtling down to. Quickly calculating the force of his descent and speed in his head, he swore angrily. This was going to hurt.

"HOLD ON TIGHT!" He yelled to the shocked girl in his arms. She nodded numbly, her face white as a ghost and her lip trembling. "_If that pole is as sturdy as it looks...My speed shouldn't be enough to completely rip my arm off." _He took a deep breath and reached out, grabbing the flag pole. He gripped tightly as he passed by it. He screamed in pain as he felt the bones and tissue jerk free off his arm socket. Blood splashed everywhere as his arm was nearly ripped off. The Black Queen gave a small sob in his arms as she heard his scream. But it had been enough. They jerked roughly and The Black Queen was almost thrown free of R.R.'s clutch, but they held onto each other tightly. R.R. immediately let go once he felt his arm rip, and the majority of the speed and force were transferred to the strong flag pole. R.R. fell limply the remaining stories or so and landed with a sickening crunch on the pavement. People backed away in horror as they stared at the torn man carrying the young woman.

The Black Queen got up and looked to R.R.. Her normally expressionless face twisted into shock and panic as she observed the man who had saved her life. "Wake up! Wake up! Not again...Not again..." She whispered, face drained of all blood. Tears leaked from her eyes as she desperately tried to make him wake up.

R.R. coughed weakly, blood pouring out of his mouth. "We need to get out of here." He said painfully. The Black Queen looked in shock as she saw him wake, but nodded, steeling herself. She helped him up and they limped through the knot of shocked people, who backed away in horror.

* * *

The security guard stared out the window in amazement as he watched the two delinquents limp away. He shook his head in disbelief and turned to his partner. "Should we go after them?" He asked nervously, fiddling with the safety on his rifle.

The unstable one laughed maniacally as he hefted his rifle. "Hehe of course! We haven't had fun like this since we took Germany with Emperor Lelouch! Remember chasing the kids and wounded through the alleys? Just like it. Corner the rats, then we can take our sweet time."

* * *

R.R slumped against the cold metal wall of the warehouse and slid down leaving a trail of blood. He coughed weakly, spewing blood from his mouth. "_Damn it...How..How long does the regeneration take? At this rate...I'll black out." _

The Black Queen sat down next to him and nervously peeled back the stained cloth on his arm. She gave a small whimper as she examined the blood, bone, and muscle that had been nearly torn off. "Why?" She asked, eyes wide.

R.R. coughed again and slowly turned his head, violet eyes shining calmly in the light. He smiled, blood leaking from the corners of his mouth. "Because there's more to you than it seems." Their eyes met as she rolled the words around in her head. A pool of blood had appeared underneath R.R. and he felt his vision begin to darken. "You have the potential...And the desire to do something...I can give you the power...To do that. "

She looked at him, her mouth hanging slightly open. She raised her hand, stained with R.R.'s blood and looked at it for a few silent seconds. "And what do you want in return?"

R.R. smiled grimly as memories resurfaced. "A contract, between us. You may have the power...The power to fight for what you believe in. But you will some day need to grant one of my wishes." He raised his good hand and extended it towards her, graceful fingers arching as he waited for her. Her hand shook in anticipation and fascination as she reached out to meet. Their fingers were inches apart. The Black Queen took a nervous breath and nodded her head, her eyes unwavering.

**SHUNK.**

R.R. gave a loud gasp and brought his hand back to clutch his chest, a long knife embedded deeply inside of it. The Black Queen gave a startled gasp and scuttled backward, her hand snapping back. The sound of metal boots echoed loudly against the cold metal floor as the two security guards walked into view, one of them nonchalantly tossing a knife into the air and catching it. The Black Queen gave a gasp as she recognized him as the man from the conference room, the one R.R. had warned was about to snap.

The man cackled as he sheathed his knife and leaned forward, face inches from R.R.'s. "Hey there buddy. You run pretty fast for a guy without a frickin arm."

The man behind him laughed nervously. "Hehe, good one Kuro."

Kuro turned back toward his partner and grinned, canines catching the weak light in the warehouse as they glinted dangerously. "Of course Jan." He turned back to R.R. and whistled as he looked him over. "You look pretty banged up there. Don't worry, it'll only hurt for a little longer." Kuro raised a foot and slammed it onto the knife in R.R.'s chest.

R.R. gave a hoarse cry. Pain shot through his veins as new blood squirted from the wound. He struggled to stay awake, his body pulsing numbly. Sensing his victims agony Kuro leaned forward and expertly slipped a knife into his hands. He twirled it dangerously close to R.R.'s face as he cooed softly to the injured man. "Don't worry. It's all over." R.R.'s eyes widened in shock as he realized what the man was going to do.

"STOP!" The Black Queen yelled, lunging forward.

The spinning knife swiftly slid across R.R.'s throat and blood spewed forth like a fountain. R.R.'s body shuddered before relaxing as the beautiful violet eyes darkened and closed. The Black Queen squeezed R.R.'s hand weakly, fighting back tears. The hand was cold and motionless, it seemed as if it were sucking the soul out of her. Kuro turned to the Black Queen, his face coated with R.R.'s blood. He took a step back and stood next to his buddy Jan.

He whistled appreciatively as he viewed the girl shaking R.R.'s cold body. "She's a looker. Your turn Jan." He quickly slid another knife from his hip and presented it to Jan. Jan looked at it before taking it and stepping forward.

"Won't we get in trouble?" He asked Kuro nervously.

Kuro shook his head. "We can just say these two conquered tried to get into the city. They resisted arrest and fought back. All this was in self defense."

"Self-Defense?!" The Black Queen screamed at them. "You murdered and injured man for your own perverse pleasures!"

Kuro waved a hand dismissively. "The dead can't testify. Shame though, you're a rather pretty girl. You would have done well in the brothels." The Black Queen squeezed R.R.'s limp hand tighter as her body shuddered with anger and frustration. "_I don't want to die! Not yet!" _

Suddenly R.R.'s lifeless hand squeezed hers back. "_Not...yet."_

* * *

The Black Queen gave a gasp as her body went numb as she spiraled downward through a tunnel, blue and green tendrils of color flashing past her. She looked around in fascination, shock, and confusion. Two large structures loomed in the distance, drawing neared. Two large orbs floated in air, a strong light connecting them. A gentle breeze sent a horde of spotless white feathers in front of her, obscuring her view. A series of images she couldn't comprehend flashed through her mind. A strange symbol written on a ancient stone wall, a mass of silent young woman with symbols like R.R.'s on their forehead, and a large orange planet loomed in the blackness of space. "What is this?" She whispered to herself, her mind overflowing.

R.R. suddenly appeared in front of her, extending his hand once more. His injuries were gone and his face expressionless as his fingers stretched to her. "The power of kings....The power to make your wishes come true. It is a path of solitude that will distance you from those you love. Will you accept? Will you accept my contract? "

The Black Queen stepped forward, her face resolute as her eyes flashed. "I have none I love and I have nothing to lose. I accept your contract."

Her hand extended as she gripped his hand in a strong handshake. Suddenly she was thrown back and R.R. disappeared. She fell backward, the flowing tunnel changing colors rapidly. A distance away a large gray object waited for her, indistinguishable. As she neared it she realized with a start it was two large gears. She reached out and brushed them with her hands. A large clunk was heard as the gears began to move slowly, and with a slam they connected.

* * *

The Black Queen laid R.R.'s hand down softly on the floor, her long green hair blocking her face from the two security guards. "Say.." She said softly, turning toward them. The men perked up and leaned closer to hear her. "You think I would do fine in the brothels? Well I think you could be a perfect lab rat."

Kuro laughed and regarded her with a look of disgust. "What is it bitch? You gone crazy now?"

She chuckled softly, standing up. "I just need someone to test his on...And your the perfect person to try it." She turned her head, her green hair moving away from her left eye. The men backed in surprise, Kuro quickly pulling a knife from his belt and Jan raising his gun. The Black Queens beautiful violet eyes shone twice as bright, the elegant bird symbol radiating power from her eye. "Now." She said, lips curling upward as she regarded the stunned men. "Let's see what this power can do."

* * *

**End Of Chapter 4**

Man this was one hell of a chapter to write. First real attempt at action with the window escape and describing the Geass experience was pretty annoying. I'll get better as this story goes on though. As always thanks for the reviews people, makes me fell all warm and fuzzy.

**I'm still deciding what our Black Queen's name should be, so I would like a few more opinions.** If you have already voted don't vote again please! Currently the standings are like this:

Shizku: 6  
Lucia: 5  
Elizabeth: 4

The final decision will be made by me, but you guys do have a lot of influence here. I count votes such as "Shizuku sounds so like her, but I just love Elizabeth!" In that case I will mark it as a vote for both of them, but try to narrow it down to one choice if possible, a simple "I prefer Elizabeth, it seems the most logical" or something along the lines.

As always R/R and look forward to the next chapter. Hoping to break +100 reviews with this chapter though lol. Be seeing you guys soon hopefully! Merry Christmas!

-FireIceWindEarth

-P.S. Also a bit off topic...But has anyone else noticed the onslaught of SuzakuxxLelouch one shots? Kinda odd when I'm lookin for my favorite couple but get buried by these things lol.


	5. Emergence

Disclaimer: All songs belong to the original artists.

HOLY CRAP! I'M NOT DEAD! I'm sorry everyone, December was a hell of a month for me. School problems (Finals, had to bring 3 C grades up to A's because I slacked off), medical problems (was coughing up blood for the greater part of a month), girls (Of course I have love problems, what teenager doesn't?), and so on. Special thanks to my beta-readers for looking this over. Big thanks to Spirit_HellFire, he gave me the intro to this chapter. Anyway here is chapter 5, enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 5: Emergence**

The Emperor's room, as all who have had the privilege of entering it's mammoth sized doors could attest to, could only be described by one word: Magnificent.

Canvases, both from current and ancient artists, draped the enormous walls. Countless Roman columns stood firmly and highly on both sides of the deep red carpet linking the door to His majesty's Throne, each encasing archaic artifacts of bygone eras and civilizations that had caught His Majesty's eye. Huge chandeliers beautifully and skilfully created from crystals hung overhead, further adding to the awe inspiring sight.

Upon the end of the rep immensely long red carpet were stairs leading to the Huge Throne itself; the exact throne that the original Demon King Lelouch became reined as the supreme ruler to all.

The self-proclaimed emperor of the world and the most powerful person in existence, The Demon King Lelouch, was sprawled very unking like on that cursed chair. He swished the contents of his wine glass around, frowning at the blood red liquid.

"Zero." He said imperiously. "What type of wine is his? It looks to be newly developed."

Zero stepped forward from beside his master and gently took the glass. He examined it quietly from behind his mask for a few seconds with a talented sophisticated eye before passing it back. "I believe it's called _Angel Sangue_, a recently developed wine from Italy."

Lelouch swished the wine a bit more, his eyes half open as he observed the wine sloshing around like a miniature lake. He carelessly threw the wine glass behind his back and it shattered against the floor with a loud crash. "Have the people who created it executed. They call it wine? A pathetic excuse." Zero nodded silently and stepped back, making a mental note. Suddenly a loud beeping sound emerged from the right arm rest of Lelouch's throne. Sitting up straight and fixing his appearance, Lelouch adopted a calm cynical look as he pressed the button. A hologram shot from under the arm rest and hovered in mid air in front of Lelouch.

The image of a young man appeared in front of them, crystal clear and as if he was there in real life. The sounds of gunfire and artillery echoed loudly behind him, crisp and real. "Emperor Lelouch!" The man gasped, wiping away the blood on his brow. In the background men hid behind cover, peering over and firing. The towering walls of the canyon made for only simple attack and retreats. "The Chinese defenses were stronger than we expected in the Dragon's Crevice! Our attack was repelled and they're counter attacking and gaining ground fast! We need you to send Lord Zero! Hurry we-GAHHH!" A large explosion sent the man and what remained of his head flying. The hologram fizzed and closed, the connection dead.

Sighing wearily, Lelouch turned to Zero. "Well Zero. You know what to do. The repairs should be done on the Lancelot, and the Chinese won't have theirs ready yet. Remember to attach the float device we've been working on. Now is a perfect time to try it out. Oh and send some servants to clean up the wine." Zero nodded and bowed before leaving the room, his cloak swishing as the doors shut. Letting his head fall back, Lelouch closed his silver eyes and let his lips turn upward in a slight smile. "Being King sure is hard." He chuckled to himself, wishing he had a glass of wine.

* * *

"Haishin, send your squad to reinforce our left flank! Lee-Shang, replace Quan's group and press forward!" The men nodded and saluted at Ling before running to perform their commands. Peering his head from behind the large rock he was hiding behind, Ling allowed himself a grim smile as his blue eyes scanned the battlefield, taking in every detail. His long blue hair was tied in a ponytail, flowing down to his waist. His sharp angular face was coated in sweat and dust. Bodies lay sprawled on the battlefield like leaves from a tree in Autumn, numerous and to some, beautiful. The canyon had been to narrow for any types of vehicles. So all the fighting had been done with only men. A majority of the bodies were soldiers who served Lelouch. They had been decimated after falling into his trap. He had given the illusion of the Chinese defenders being hard pressed and had ordered a fake retreat. Excited and full of blood lust, the soldiers had chased after him. Ling chuckled softly as he remembered the boulders that had fallen on the shocked and horrified soldiers. His troops had then pressed forward against the remaining soldiers and had been pushing them back steadily.

"INCOMING!" Someone screamed, and Ling instantly looked toward the sky, praying it wasn't what he thought it was. An all too familiar knightmare frame was fast approaching. It's white armor shined brilliantly in the sunlight, and Ling couldn't help but stare in admiration for a few seconds. Reality slammed him in the face as he saw the man next to him drop his weapon and begin to scream in terror, his eyes wide and foam beginning to emerge at the corners of his mouth.

"Damn it." He said, slamming his fist into the hard stone. He gripped his rifle tightly, swearing in frustration. With over 10 million soldiers the Chinese Federation's military had vastly outnumbered Lelouch's Army. Yet China did not have the resources to keep their technology up to par and distribute it to 10 million soldiers. Lelouch's forces with their superior armor and weapons had taken the fight out of every Chinese soldier in the canyon, they just weren't properly equipped to deal with the problem in front of them!

"All units, focus fire!" Ling yelled, aiming his rifle. The screams of hundreds of rifles dominated the air and the bullets swarmed through the air like an angry mob. Stone splintered, dust swirled, and rubble was sent flying as the men desperately tried to bring down the white knightmare. The death bringer landed with a soft thud, sending dust and debris flying. The men backed away slowly, their faces twisted with fear and apprehension as death stared them in the face. Slowly the knightmare reached to its waist, it's movements slow and deliberate. A soft hum reverberated through the air as a pair of metallic purple blades emerged, glinting dangerously against the harsh sun. With a loud slam the wheels slid out from the Lancelot's legs, and it surged forward. The blades flashed skilfully in the sun, weaving a tale of destruction and death. The men screamed as the blades sliced through them as easily as they were jelly.

"RETREAT!" Ling yelled, desperately waving to his men. A man hefted a rocket launcher, and fired it at the Lancelot. It nimbly dodged the incoming projectile and it exploded against the side of the canyon, sending debris falling to the ground. His mind working furiously, Ling screamed to his remaining men "Quickly! Bury it in debris! Shoot at the cliffs!" A series of muffled explosions followed by large bangs followed his order. Debris rained upon the Lancelot, which looked up just as the rocks began to crush it. A weary cheer emerged from the remaining soldiers as the dust settled and the large pile of debris became visible. Ling gave a relieved sigh and turned to Lee-Shange, a grin on his face. A soft hum emanated from the large pile, and it exploded outward, sending shrapnel and debris everywhere. To his left, Lee-Shang fell grabbing his knee, blood pouring out of it from a large rock. The Lancelot's green shield disappeared and it straightened, turning to the soldiers. The two blades shimmered and hummed in the distance, coated with blood and dust.

"Ling!" Lee-Shang gasped, his face twisted with pain. "Run! You're our...China's only hope!"

Ling remained rooted to the spot, his instincts screaming at him to run. "I can't run!" He though, bitter tears rolling down his dirty face. "The blood of China's greatest military commander, the one who defeated Zero runs through me! But it's still under repairs from last time, and we never figured the Lancelot would be back so quickly! I can't lose! I CAN-"Ling flew backwards, slamming into a rock a few feet back. He struggled to keep his eyes open and he saw his subordinate, Quan, giving him a pained grin, having pushed him that far away. Before Ling could scream a warning the Lancelot had appeared behind Quan, it's blade raised in the air. Quan was separated into two, the grin still plastered on both sides of his face. Ling gave a pitiful cry as he saw the men he had trained with and grown up with slaughtered before him. The Lancelot moved quickly and efficiently, dismantling the men with a careless ease. The last men finally shuddered and died, and the battleground became eerily silent. The Lancelot turned to face Ling, the sun no longer shining on the white frame, for it hidden by the blood and gore of his friends and men. Ling gripped his side, blood leaking out of it, and attempted to stay awake. He gave a final effort to straighten up before the pain and darkness overwhelmed him. He slumped to his side, eyes closed. The Lancelot looked at him, hand straying near its sword, before sheathing it and flying off. The night grew silent and the only creatures that moved were the carrion birds and wolves, there to feast on another's work.

* * *

The Black Queen grinned at the stunned men, the Geass symbol in her left eye exploding outwards. "Now....What are your phantoms?" The bird symbol traveled through Kuro's eyes as it reached his mind, and with a distant clink, changed everything.

"No..." Kuro muttered, taking a step back. "Get back! I killed you! I KILLED ALL OF YOU!" He began to flail wildly with his knife, his face white with fear, a desperate feral look in his eyes.

"Kuro, whats up?!" Jan said worriedly, taking a step forward. Kuro's eyes bulged as he turned and sliced Jan's neck. Jan fell forward, a pained confused look on his face, and landed face first in a growing pool of his own blood.

"NO! PLEASE! PLEASE!" Kuro sobbed, the knife dropping from his shaking hands. He backed into a wall and slid down into a sitting position, sobbing. "GO BACK! I'M SORRY ALREADY! PLEASE! LEAVE ME ALONE!" His body shook with fear and his breathing was erratic with sobs punctuating it. His body convulsed, before relaxing. A look of horror remained permanently etched on his face, a testament to the last sights he had seen in this world.

The Black Queen stood in place, in shock. "So...powerful." She whispered, her voice weak and fragile. A crazed laugh escaped her lips as her legs slid out from under her. Her body shook feebly as the laughter slowed and the realization of her actions hit her. She spun around and collapsed, barfing onto the floor. She turned around and flopped on her back, wiping her lips with the back of her hand. She panted, her mouth wide open, her face devoid of blood. "I killed them...So horribly...I'm a monster...I"m a monster...." She shook her head weakly. "No! They...They deserved to die. If I'm going to change the world...By myself now...I need to be like this." She reassured herself for a few more minutes before sitting up. She turned to find R.R.'s body, deciding to give it a proper burial. She bolted upright and gave a gasp of "That's impossible!" The large bloodstain was there, still fresh and reeking. But the body was gone. Her eyes darted around as she searched the warehouse, body tensed like a spring, the Geass symbol in her left eye ready. A soft chuckle made its way to her ear. She spun around and looked upward, her eyes widening in disbelief. R.R. gave a small clap and jumped from the pile of crates he had been sitting on. He landed gracefully like a cat and straightened up, looking her in the eye. The geass symbol traveled from her eye, and R.R. could see the panic and horror evidently on her face.

"Not surprising, I did just come back from the dead." He thought grimly. A strange sensation swept through his body, cool and refreshing, before leaving.

The Black Queen took a step back, her hands shaking.

"Do you honestly believe me I would be stupid enough to grant you such a powerful power if it could be used against me?" He told her casually, stepping forward. His violet eyes intensified as he stared at her. "Now, are you ready to begin? We made a contract, after all."

She shook her head, not understanding and still in shock.

"I'm immortal. Although I may die, I always come back to life." He stated cooly, lifting his head to show her his newly formed neck. She gave a disgusted and startled cough, calming down a bit. R.R. laughed and walked toward her, raising an eyebrow. "Have you calmed down yet..." He stopped, suddenly realizing all this time he didn't know her name. "What is your name?"

The Black Queen averted his gaze and looked to the ground. "I don't know..." R.R. looked at her, surprise evident on his handsome face. "My parents died when I was too young to remember...I've been told they were killed by Lelouch's men. I struggled to survive living in the streets, another nameless conquered. I discovered chess, and became what I am today...The Black Queen. I have no name..." She muttered, her slim beautiful figure shaking with grief.

A gentle hand descended upon her shoulder and she looked up. "I don't like the Black Queen, it doesn't suit you. How about...Lucia." R.R. said softly.

A soft sob escaped her lips as she hugged R.R. tightly, tears of joy leaking down her face. He embraced the girl and held her close, arms wrapped around her petite frame. "Thank you." She murmured softly.

He released her and stepped back, a soft smile on his face. "No problem, Lucia."

Lucia stopped, savoring the sound of a name that was hers. For once she felt human, more than just an obstacle or a slot machine from which money could be won or lost.

"Lucia. I need to know this now." R.R. asked, tone serious and eyes narrowed. "Will you trust me? Will you follow me?"

She was silent, her eyes not meeting his. She looked up and violet eyes connected as she replied equally as serious. "For now, yes. You have saved my life and given me a power that rivals all. For now, I have no reason as to not trust you."

R.R. felt a shiver run down his spine at the words "for now." "Maybe she's onto my real identity...She is smart enough if I should give her enough clues."

"What should we do now?" Lucia inquired.

"Rest. It's been a long day for us both, we need some sleep."

Lucia nodded and waved a finger in front of R.R.. "I know just the place. I always carry some of my winnings with me so sleep shouldn't be a problem. But we need to be careful, no doubt the incident today will have people recognizing our faces."

R.R. nodded and they slinked off, making sure not to catch the eye of a passerby. People had the annoying habit of remembering things they shouldn't.

"It's odd." R.R. breathed, looking around. "It's deserted." And he was right. A cold wind blew through the night, sending scraps of paper tumbling down the streets. Suddenly, behind him, Lucia gave a short loud laugh. R.R. turned around and hissed urgently at her. "Shush! Someone will hear us!"

Lucia stepped out from the shadows into the middle of the street and shrugged, a knowing grin on her face. "I forgot what day it is. It's Saturday night! No one will be out on the streets."

"Why not?" Asked R.R., stepping out from the shadows after her.

Lucia pointed down the street. A faint glow rose into the sky and the distant sound of music was barely distinguishable. "It's the Nightly Jam. A few months ago a few people gathered in the park and listened to music. Soon people came and eventually it grew. Now its like...its like..."

"A rave." R.R. finished with an astonished look on his face.

Lucia nodded, rolling the unusual word around her tongue. "Rave. Yes, that's the perfect word for it. Anyhow, we should be safe for now. The hotel we will be staying at is nearby, but people will be too focused on the music to notice us."

R.R. couldn't help but grin as he saw the mass of people moving in the park. Thousands of limbs moved separately and together, dancing with the sound of the music. A strong, rhythmic hypnotic beat rang out through the park.

R.R. looked to his right and saw, to his amusement, Lucia tapping her foot to the song, a distant smile on her face. "I used to come to these. They were...amazing." She remarked. The words of the music made their way to R.R.'s ears and despite himself he found that he rather liked the simple yet catchy words.

One more time  
We're gonna celebrate  
Oh yeah, alright  
Don't stop the dancin'  
One more time  
We're gonna celebrate  
Oh yeah, alright  
Don't stop the dancin'  
One more time  
We're gonna celebrate  
Oh yeah, alright  
Don't stop the dancin'  
One more time  
We're gonna celebrate  
Oh yeah  
One more time

One more time  
I'm just feelin' celebration tonight  
Celebrate

"Hurry up R.R." Lucia chuckled, tugging at his arm.

Awakened from his stupor R.R. followed Lucia, silently resolving to visit one of these.

"Ahhh, hello." The old man at the counter greeted as R.R. and Lucia entered the hotel, putting down a magazine. His wrinkled face had a homely smile on it and he gave the aura of friendliness. His white hair had deserted the top of head in favor of his temples. A pair of delicate glasses rested on the bridge of his nose.

He raised an inquisitive eyebrow at Lucia's guest and remarked humorously "I see you have a guest?"

Lucia waved a hand dismissively. "Get your mind out of the gutter you dirty old man."

The man chuckled and handed Lucia a key. "Of course. I'll expect payment tomorrow morning." The two walked to the nearby elevator just as it opened. Two young girls, around sixteen, stepped out. Their long blond hair flowed to their waist. Tight t-shirts made their slim curves even more pronounced, and their large breasts caused the man at the counter to peer over his magazine. They giggled and eyed R.R. approvingly. Lucia ignored them and walked by into the elevator, R.R. following. Suddenly R.R. gave a loud yelp just as the two girls burst into a fit of giggles.

The doors slid with soft swoosh and Lucia turned to R.R.. "What was that about?"

"I think one of them pinched my ass..." R.R. said in disbelief, his face tinged red. Lucia laughed as the elevator swished upwards to their floor. It opened and Lucia quickly exited. R.R. cautiously peered out, on the look out for any more teenage girls. With a sigh of relief he followed Lucia to their room. "Exquisite." He stated as he stared into it. It was a large room, with two odd circle looking beds. A flat, large TV was attached firmly to the wall. A refrigerator was at one side of the room and a desk was next to it. A bathroom was to the right of the door with a large tub and shower. Very much like his room in Ashford, except bigger and accommodated for two.

"Different from what your used to?" Lucia asked.

"Yes. Back when..." R.R. stopped and glanced at Lucia from the corner of his eye.

She was watching him intensely, waiting for him to slip up so she could learn more about the man who had entered her life.

"_Damn it! I can't let anyone know more than necessary about me! If they find out who I am and where I'm from..."_ A tense silence entered the room, smothering both of the occupants.

After a few seconds Lucia walked over to the window and peered out. "The rave is almost over, the final song should start in a minute or two. That means it's rather late. Let's get to bed, shall we?" She jumped onto the odd circular bed. R.R. noticed the mattress sink and change, molding into the shape of her knees. Pressing a button on the side of the bed, a dome emerged from the sides of the bed and created a half circle on top of the build.

"Goodnight." Lucia said, her voice coming crystal clear though the dome.

R.R. smiled, grateful for the bed. The last time he had slept in a bed was the night before his execution, and he was eager to feel its comfort again. He slid into the bed and pressed the button on the side, closing the door. He was plunged into total darkness. He closed his eyes, waiting for the familiar feeling of satisfaction and happiness to come, the feeling that he was at peace with the world. With a pang he realized why the feelings weren't coming and why his last sleep in a bed had been so comfortable. He had slept with C.C. that night, and they had spent the night hugging each other tightly, safe and content beyond words, hiding from the grim realization of the Zero Requiem, just like lovers would. Music from the rave slipped into his dome, the words echoing around. The beat was slow and soft, the words harmonious and sorrowful.

I need you more than anything in my life  
I want you more than anything in my life  
I'll miss you more than anyone in my life  
I love you more than anyone in my life

A tear rolled down his cheek as unable to contain himself, R.R. began to sob softly. He pulled the covers up closer and cried, the feeling of loss in his heart a large hole that could never be filled. Across the room, Lucia lay awake on her back. She closed her eyes as she listened to the sounds of R.R.'s crying. "I'm sorry." She mouthed mournfully, unable to say it herself. Outside, the rave began to close. The music stopped and the lights died down as the people made their way home. And inside his own bubble of sorrow and pain, alone now and forever, R.R. cried for the one he had lost.

* * *

And finished! You might have noticed that both the songs I included were Daft Punk. The first one was _One More Time_, and the second was _Something About Us._ Anyway the reason I put them in is I had been listening to Daft Punk non stop, and I needed to get it out somewhere. Right now Daft Punk just fits my mood. Because half their songs are all lovey dovey. I'm getting head aches from my current love status lol. I saw a childhood friend a few months ago. I see her a few times a year, and I've always very much liked her. However this year when I saw her she was absolutely beautiful, and I'm pretty sure I saw stars. Anyway I'm a lovesick puppy who's dealing with another girl problem at school while I have this childhood friend on my mind. SO YEAH SCREW MY LIFE -_-

Once again apologies for the long wait. I've been reading a few mangas as well (updated in my profile, they're all good ones I recommend), new videogames, and all the crap I mentioned before. Oh and congratz to the people who wanted Lucia for the Black Queen's name! Elizabeth seemed a bit too archaic to me, it just didn't ring quite as well as Lucia. Shizuku was the same thing. I'm sorry if your disappointed, but don't worry! One little name won't make you hate the story (I hope). Anyway just a heads up, I hope to break 500 reviews pretty soon. I'm just going to set up goals as I go along really. Now the next chapter will be quicker than this one took hopefully, since I'm not really busy at all for the next month. As always thanks for the reviews, more R/R, and enjoy life!

-FIWE


	6. Alliances

Don't worry, this story isn't dead. And if were to hypothetically die, I would make sure to tell all you guys lol. Sorry for the wait, blame school and my friends for dragging me back into WOW (I had quit for at least 5 months before those bastards interfered.) If your ever on Kilrogg Alliance side feel free to drop by, my characters name is Shadowcatch. Once again thanks to Velshard and Hellfire for beta-reading, you guys rock. As always, enjoy. Here is Chapter 6 of the story.

**Chapter 6: Alliances**

* * *

"Your eyes are red." Lucia pointed out, observing the recently woken man.

R.R. merely grunted in response as he swung his legs over the side of the bed, rubbing at his eyes with his fist. R.R. ran a hand over his arm, frowning is displeasure at the stickiness due to the blood from last night. "I'm going to take a shower." He announced, standing up to walk to the bathroom.

"Check the closet for girls." Lucia chuckled, leaning back and turning on the T.V..

She frowned at the sight before her; General Natsume's morning speech. He was a middle aged man in his late thirties, his brown hair beginning to turn white at the roots from the stress of his work. Despite his age he stood tall, looming over the crowd gathered below him. His brown eyes were those of a man who had unyielding loyalty, strong and unwavering. He stood upon a stage inside a large circular stadium. In front of him thousands of people stood silent, backs straight and hands over their hearts in salute to the man before them. Lucia raised a questioning eyebrow at the figure standing besides him. "He's new." She whispered softly.

With his head peeking out of the door to the bathroom R.R. turned to Lucia. "Who's new? The person besides him?"

She nodded and crossed her arms over her chest. "_He's young, only sixteen or possibly seventeen."_ She thought, observing him. His blond hair was tied into a braid at the back, and it parted in the front out of his eyes. His slender frame along with the long sword strapped to his side suggested he should be one to be avoided. A confident smirk was etched onto his hard and beautiful face. His clothes were simple, those of a warrior.

"I would like to introduce my son, and my new knight." Natsume began, placing a shoulder upon his son's shoulder. The boy nodded and took a step back, kneeling before Natsume. He slowly withdrew the sword from the scabbard, causing a clear powerful sound to ring throughout the area. His head still down, he presented the sword to his father, resting it horizontally on both hands. Natsume reached down and picked the blade up. The hardened white metal shone brilliantly against the sun. The guard was a simple cross with the ends arching upwards and curving inward. The grip was made from simple rough leather, oiled and hardened to provide the best results possible. A small yet bright ruby was implanted on the bottom of the guard. Gripping it tightly, Natsume gently placed the tip on his son's shoulder. "Since you were born you have trained for this day. It is now upon you. Rise with pride, my son. Rise, Knight Lycris!" An immense roar broke out from the crowd as Natsume presented the sword back to Lycris, who accepted it.

He turned around and threw his head back laughing, his white teeth reflecting the sun. "GLORY TO EMPEROR LELOUCH! PRAY FOR A SWIFT DEATH, THOSE WHO OPPOSE US!" He yelled, his deep voice booming in the arena. His blade cut circles through the air, impossible to see due to the speed as he sliced imaginary enemies. His arm was a blur, muscles flexed, and veins pulsed as his display of his swordsmanship amazed the audience. With a clean, deft movement, he brought the sword behind his back, transferred it to the other hand, and had sheathed it. The audience was struck into a stunned silence, before erupting into a deafening applause.

"That's not humanely possible." Lucia whispered silently, her knuckles white as she gripped the edge of the bed. Lycris grinned, the flames of victory in his eyes burning intensely. R.R. withdrew his head back into the bathroom and shut the door. He slumped against the wall and clutched his head, a sensation in his gut that he hadn't felt for a while. Fear.

* * *

"Since when did our good friend Natsume get a son?" The figure mused, rubbing it's chin thoughtfully. Tiredly it closed its eyes and sighed like an old man. Changing the channel, it reached over and picked up the glass of orange juice sitting on the table in front of him.

* * *

"Now what." Lucia asked as R.R. exited the bathroom, a towel wrapped around his waist.

"First you show some decency and look away." He grunted. She rolled her eyes and turned her head to stare at the wall. R.R. frowned as he looked at the sticky, smelly mess that had once been his clothes. His long hair tickled his waist as he turned to Lucia. "I need you do to me a favor. I need you to go out to the city and get me a pair of clothes."

She tilted her head back a bit. "What do I get in return?"

R.R. crossed his arms. "I'll tell you a bit more about that power you have." It was a bluff, although he knew much about Geass's, his knowledge of her Geass was incredibly limited. He figured he would use information he had obtained from his contact with those who had or experienced Geass/

She nodded her head slowly. "Interesting. I'll figure out what I can though. I don't want to be completely dependent on someone like you." R.R. let this last comment slide as he walked to his bed. Across from him Lucia sat up and walked to the door. "Be back soon." She said before exiting. R.R. sighed and leaned against the bed, a plan of action formulating in his head.

Lucia leaned against the elevator, memories of last night flashing in her mind. "I was able to create those illusions of people he had killed...But how?" The doors flashed open and Lucia stepped out. The old man at the counter sat alone, diligently reading a poorly hidden magazine. The Geass symbol appeared in her eye as Lucia stared at the man. She frowned as nothing happened. "Eye contact seems required." She mused to herself. "Hey!" She called, grabbing his attention. The Geass symbol traveled the distance in a split second, entering the mind of the man and causing him to do...absolutely nothing. He shrugged and turned back to his magazine. Pouting, Lucia glared at the old man. Her eye caught the magazine title. Raising an eyebrow, she murmured softly to herself "Maybe...Hey!" She called again.

The old man frowned and put the magazine on the table. "What is it?" The outlines of his eyes became a tinted red as his mouth dropped open. Blood exploded from his nose as he collapsed, his face a picture of pure delight. "So...beautiful..." He exclaimed, twitching on the floor.

Chuckling to herself, Lucia walked past the counter knocking the magazine onto the floor. As she opened the door a cold wind blew into the room, flipping the pages of the woman's swimsuit magazine.

Lelouch waved his hand over his arm, revealing the device he had received in Damocles. Punching in the number, R.R. waited as the dial tone rang in his head.

"HELLOOOOOOO!" The cheerful voice came back.

"Benny? This is R.R.."

"R.R.! How are you doing in Japan?"

"I'm fine." R.R. answered, scratching the back of his head. "Hey, can I ask you a favor?"

"Ohhhhhhh?"

R.R. sighed depressingly to himself. Talking to Benny was like dealing with a 5 year old. "I need you to look up all of the terrorist groups or activities near Tokyo. Find as many as you can in, or near the city. There are bound to be a few, in a horrible world like this rebels wouldn't be uncommon."

An uncommon and disturbing sound came from the other end of the line. "You want ME, a brilliant scientist, to use his amazing resources and time to find some stupid rebels? I'M A SCIENTIST! NOT A DETECTIVE!"

R.R winced and rubbed his head. "I'll...give you pudding?" He asked hesitantly.

There was a squeal of delight from the other end. "I'M ON IT!" R.R. sighed in relief, letting his head fall back. "Oh, by the way. I sent Roy to accompany you guys. He was getting very bored and messing around with my equipment. He'll arrive at your hotel tonight."

R.R. nodded before Benny's words hit him. "How do you know where I am?"

A soft chuckle came from the other side. Benny's voice dropped, his tone serious. "I slipped a tracker onto your mouthpiece. This is a dangerous time. I don't know you well enough to trust you."

R.R. grinned, his eyes flashing. "Smart. Call me when you get some information." Leaning back on the back, R.R. closed his eyes and began planning.

* * *

Ling coughed weakly, his body throbbing numbly. "Where...am I?" A wet cloth dabbed his brow and he struggled to open his eyes. The light above shone brightly into his eyes, and next to him a figure in a white coat stood over him.

"Ling..." The person said, its voice cracking.

"Where's Quan...Is Lee-Shang ok?" A drop of water landed on Ling's cheek. "Tears..." He dully realized.

"They're dead Ling...All of them." The voice sobbed. Ling's heart twisted and he became aware of tears falling from his own eyes. His eyes closed again and he once more fell into the darkness.

* * *

"Here." Lucia said, throwing a pile of clothes to R.R.. Holding them out in front of them, he observed them briefly before nodding satisfied. Lucia turned around as R.R. dressed, examining her fingernails.

"Done." R.R. said, turning around.

Lucia whistled appreciatively at R.R.'s new appearance. A slim t-shirt punctuated his slim figure and his long legs were matched with a long pair of jeans. "I thought about getting you sunglasses, but then I figured we don't want half the world gawking at you." She grinned.

"What have you determined about your Geass?"R.R. asked her, his face serious.

Lucia collapsed on the nearby bed and tapped her foot. "My Geass works by creating illusions on people based on their personality, past, or anything of the matter. It requires eye contact as well." R.R. nodded thoughtfully. "Now as you promised me..." Lucia began, turning to face R.R., "tell me more about my Geass."

R.R. opened his mouth, prepared to share the limited information he had with about his Geass when something inside his mind clicked, Words sprung froth from his mouth, unbeckoned and unrecognized. "Your Geass is the Geass of Illusion. Using a persons past and personality, you can create illusions that may scare, weaken, strengthen, basically alter the person in anyway. You may only use the illusion once per person, and its lasts for a duration of 30 minutes. The target will retain memory of their illusion but will not know the cause of it. You will be able to see the illusions you create, as both a blessing and a curse." R.R. finished.

Lucia processed the information before looking up to R.R.. "I see. So that's why I saw those people talking to Kuro...Thank you R.R.."

"No problem." R.R. said distractedly. "_Where did all that come from?" _

"I'm hungry." Lucia announced. "Let's get some food."

* * *

Lucia handed R.R. a menu. R.R. looked around at the balcony of the restaurant they were eating at. He peered over the edge of the railing to the streets below. A strong wind blew and R.R. shivered before turning back to the menu. Lucia put down her menu and tapped the small screen on the center of the table. Using her finger she quickly wrote what she wanted.

"When you're ready." She said, leaning back against her chair.

R.R. scowled at the menu, looking over the unfamiliar items. His eyes rested upon an item and without hesitation he closed the menu. Some unknown force and urge caused him to close the menu and lock all other choices from his mind. He swiftly wrote his choice in the screen and hit the enter button. The afternoon sun beat down upon them hotly as they waited patiently for their food. There was a soft hum on the table in front of Lucia. The air in front of her popped and fizzed as an object materialized in front of her. Rubbing her hands together, she dug into the newly appeared bowl in front of her, filled to the top with an unfamiliar broth. The air in front of R.R. did the same as a plate appeared.

"Pizza?" Lucia asked him, eying the steaming food. R.R. shrugged and dug in, suddenly hungrier than he had ever been. The melted cheese sang a sweet song of heaven as he chewed it in his mouth.

"_Has pizza always been this good?"_ He wondered dreamily, devouring the food with alarming speed. He was snapped out of his daze as a hand smacked into the back of his head, almost causing him to choke.

"We let you go on your own for a few days and your out dating women? Start saving the world damn it!" Roy hissed into his ear.

R.R. swallowed the piece of pizza in his mouth and grabbed a chair from the nearby table, motioning for Roy to sit down. Roy listened intently as R.R. explained everything that had happened.

"I see." He said, nodding satisfied. His arm vibrated and he looked quickly to it. "I'll be right back." He said, sighing. He stood up and walked out of the room.

"Why didn't you tell him about the Geass?" Lucia asked.

R.R. tore of a chunk of the pizza slice in his hand and chewed slowly. "There are some things better left unknown." She nodded in understanding. R.R.'s arm suddenly vibrated and he looked to his wrist. The skin had disappeared and the metallic armband had taken its place.

He waved a hand over it and Benny's voice echoed in his head."HELLOOOOO!"

R.R. winced. "Found anything?"

A pleasant hum came from the other end. "Yup! Two things of interest! After some digging around and interviewing with all the people I know, I was able to get a possible location for the leader of all the resistance movements in Japan!"

"Excellent! Tell me the location an-"

"Not so faaaaaaast!" Benny interrupted him, his tone delighted. "I found a mercenary too!"

"A mercenary? R.R. asked, intrigued.

"Yup! A rather unknown one, but if the rumors are accurate then you would definitely want to see him! I'll send you the coordinates for both of them." There was a temporary stab of pain in R.R.'s mind. He blinked, shocked to realize that he knew where the two were now. "See you later!" There was a click, and Benny's voice disappeared. The armband vanished on R.R.'s arm and was replaced once again by his skin. Wiping his lips on a napkin, R.R. stood up.

"So? Where are we going?" Lucia asked.

Roy walked back to the table. "Honestly how can people be so stupid? One of our men back at the station accidentally caused his gun to explode and had to ask me if he could borrow mine. And that if I knew first aid."

Turning to all three, R.R. merely motioned them to follow as he left the balcony.

* * *

"looks pretty shoddy to me." Roy remarked unimpressed, looking at the building.

R.R. had to admit it that it did look a little worn down. Paint was peeling from rough walls of the square shaped building. A pair of windows on the side of the street was blocked by shades. The sun was beginning to set and it cast a dark shadow along the streets. Lucia shivered in the cold and hugged herself tighter. Walking up the steps and opening the door they entered a dimly lit room. A flickering hologram was attached to the door to their left. "Enter if customer" was written on it. Lucia walked up to the door and slowly opened it, peering inside.

It was a darkly lit room, with a weak light bulb attached to the corner. A pair of feet rested lazily on the desk, tapping softly. An old forgotten artifact sat on the desk, globs of an odd substance floating inside of it as it radiated a soft glow. A nameplate in front of the pair of feet was inscribed with a single name. "Raven." The figure lowered its feet from the desk and glanced at the newcomers. Strands of long jet black hair fell gracefully onto his face. His hair was worn long in the back, tickling the top of his shouders. His slender face rose as he raised his chin to look at the newcomers. A pair of electrifying blue eyes gazed out from under the hair. 'How may I help you?" He asked, his voice delicate and soft, as if he was sleeping.

"We would like to hire you." R.R. said.

Raven flicked his head, clearing the hair from his eyes. "How much?"

Roy pulled Lucia out the door while R.R. negotiated. "I'm not sure about this guy." Roy whispered to her. Pulling her head from the door she nodded distractedly. "What's up with you?"

"It's nothing." She said, trying to clear her mind of the midnight black hair and electrifying blue eyes. Roy's hand darted to his leg and a knife flicked into his hand. "What are you doing?" Lucia hissed.

"Testing him." Roy said bluntly, kicking the door open. He flung the knife which sped through the air like an angry hornet. With a deep THUNK it embedded into the wall not an inch from Raven's ear. His blue eyes remained passive as they stared at Roy. The knife twanged dully, embedded up to the handle. A few strands of hair floated down to the floor.

"Why didn't you move?" Roy demanded, his fists clenched.

"Was there a need to?" Raven responded.

"I could have killed you."

A smirk graced Raven's face. "But you wouldn't."

Roy bit his lip, his body tense as he stared at Raven. Suddenly he relaxed and turned to R.R.. "Hire him." He said, looking R.R. straight in the eye.

"What's your price?" R.R. asked.

Raven waved a hand dismissively and let his head fall back, staring at the ceiling. "Whatever you got."

R.R. consulted with Roy before writing a large number on a piece of paper. Raising an eyebrow he looked at the paper and nodded satisfied. "I'll take it." R.R. traded numbers and stepped outside the door, Roy following. Lucia paused before leaving, glancing back at Raven. The man was already leaning back in his chair, snoring gently, already fast asleep. She stared at the sleeping man, interested by this boy. She gently shut the door and followed her companions.

* * *

The lonely moon illuminated the worn down apartment with its soft glow. A pair of men walked quickly to the stairs. The lead man was tall and well built. The one behind was neither short nor tall. His brown eyes darted around nervously. Both their heads were shaved and the moon shone brightly of their heads. They were dressed in dark black suits, moving swiftly and silently. They stopped outside and carefully pushed the door in.

There was a soft swish and the lead man found his neck being tickled by an incredibly sharp blade. "Speak your piece before I decide to kill you for waking me up."

The lead man gulped, his adams apple bobbing nervously. "Business."

The blade slowly lowered as the door opened. The men walked inside cautiously. Raven slowly sheathed the sword, the long blade sliding into the sheath with a deadly clink. His eyes narrowed as he glanced at a nearby clock. "You better have some damn important business to wake me at 3 AM."

The lead man quivered and continued, his voice shaking. "We noticed today that Roy Kōzuki, an important figure today in The Rebellion, paid you a visit."

The spark in Raven's eye intensified as he glared at the men, boring a hole through them. "You've been spying on me?" He asked dangerously, his hand straying near his sword.

The men blanched and struggled to regain their voice. "No! We dropped by earlier today and saw them! We were supposed to come and hire you! We contacted General Natsume and he relayed us the new orders!"

Raven relaxed slightly as his hand moved away from the sword for the time being. "So what is it you want me to do?"

"Simple. We want you to be our spy. Our espionage. Our inside man. Learn their secrets and relay the information back to us at pre-determined times." Raven nodded thoughtfully. The man pressed on, sensing he was getting to Raven. "Think about it, you get paid for two jobs! And our pay will be bigger than theirs as well!"

The man behind him pulled out a suitcase and laid it before Raven. Opening it he looked at it silently before closing it.

"That's a lot of money." Raven stated.

"YES! Yes it is! Enough to easily live in splendor among the richest of the rich for the rest of your life! So, do we have a deal?" The tall lean man asked.

Raven looked at them, his blue eyes placid. "Yes. Yes we do." He said.

The men shook hands and left as quickly as they could. They collapsed after walking a mile or so to the pick up zone.

"Thank god." The brown eyed one gasped.

The lean one shook his head, wiping perspiration off his brow. "He's cold. But perfect for the job. Thank god he's on our side."

His companion nodded in agreement and then shivered. "I'll say. Let's get out of here."

* * *

Raven leaned back in his chair, the object on his desk giving off the dull orange light. He rubbed a worn coin in between his fingers, examining the beaten object. "In the end, this is all that matters." The coin was flipped through the air, a blur as it flipped. It landed in the crushing grip of Raven who pocketed the treasured item. Clearing the hair from his eyes, he closed his twinkling blue eyes and slept.

* * *

And I hope you enjoyed! Oh, and for further reference, here are the ages of our characters.

Roy: 18  
Lilia: 17  
Lucia: 17  
Raven: 19

And just wondering, is it me or is the CG Fanfiction section slowly dieing 0_o? Anyways as always R/R! If I'm lucky maybe I can break 200 reviews with this chapter =P


	7. The Rebellion

Hell, it's about time. Yes! This story is back and kicking! I apologize so very much for the delay. I had this chapter finished and ready 2 weeks ago, but with Comcast screwing up our internet there was nothing I could do with it. I went to a friends house with my laptop and that's where this is coming from. I promise that there will be no more delays like that. I will try to get a chapter out once a month at the LATEST! As always thanks to Hellfire for beta-reading this. Velshard don't know where you are man but I hope you change your mind =). Anyway a cool little tidbit...This chapter was written in Japan! I spent a month and a half there for homestay and man, it was the best experience of my life. I love Japan and WILL revisit it, and hopefully someday live there. More exciting news! To help make up for my long delay, I have not only written this chapter, but 2 new stories as well! A new Fire Emblem story _Happy Birthday! Wait, It's Not Your Birthday? Take The Present Anyway _(My first foray into the world of FE fanfiction) and _Prom Night_ (A story similar to my classics such as The Truth Hurts with humor and romance). Check them out from my profile. As always enjoy and once again, I apologize for the wait.

Edit: Haha I apologize. My internet had died on me just as I was posting this. I had assumed this chapter made it. Forgive me!

* * *

**Chapter 7: The Resistance Force**

* * *

"Why...why are we here so early?" Roy asked, looking around.

A rough, well worn dirt road lay before them. All around them tall, slightly bare trees stood firm. Patches of grass grew on the rough countryside. In the distance if one looked hard enough with the assistance of the rising sun, old crumbling ruins could be seen off in the distance.

Lucia let out a loud yawn next to him. "We're going to start heading to the coordinates of the rebel base Benny sent us."

"I understand that." Roy replied. "My main question is... WHY ARE WE IN THE MIDDLE OF NO WHERE?! AND WHY ARE WE UP SO DAMN EARLY!" He screamed. A flock of birds were rudely awoken in a nearby tree and noisily flapped out, cawing and screeching their displeasure.

"We need to cover a lot of distance. And the earlier we're up the less likely we are to be followed or spotted." R.R. responded. "I told you last night, remember?"

Roy mumbled an excuse. "Can't we drive?" Lucia asked hopefully, twirling her long green hair in her finger. "Or teleport?"

"No. We need the teleporter for Raven. If we drive into a rebel base into a car, the chances of them reacting aggressively is higher." Lucia grumbled rebelliously before grudgingly following R.R., her feet dragging.

Roy reached for his belt and took out a small pellet. He popped it in his mouth, and following a small sploosh, was rewarded with the sweet sensation of cool water in his mouth.

"How long have we been walking?" Lucia moaned. Her elegant appearance had quickly diminished due to the rough journey. Her long beautiful hair had turned slightly brown due to the swirling dust all around them. She slouched forward, her face a silent mask of anguish. Her long jeans that gripped her slender legs were dirty and ragged. Next to her Roy was doing better due to his training, yet even he lagged behind R.R.. His jacket hung on his shoulder and his shirt was dirty and ripped. Ahead of them R.R. strode unmercifully, keeping the same pace. His long white clothes were brown with dirt and dust but he continued onward like a machine. R.R. couldn't help but grin victoriously. With the help of the code his muscles kept healing, thus feeling no pain at all. "R.R." panted Lucia. "Can..Can we take...a break? Please?"

R.R. halted and looked around. To his left lay the large remains of the ancient building he had seen earlier. A rusted iron gate opened a pathway into the ruins. Some nearby trees provided shade on a lush green field of grass on which the remains of the building decayed. R.R. glanced at the two briefly. "Fine. Take a breather. I'm going to check out the ruins." With that R.R. slipped over the gate and disappeared.

Lucia collapsed inelegantly underneath a tree, groaning. "I can't feel my feet....That's a bad thing, right?"

Roy chuckled as he carefully placed himself next to Lucia. "You'll get used to it."

Lucia looked at Roy from the corner of her eye. "What if I don't get used to it?"

Roy grinned evilly back. "Pain. Aches. Soreness."

Lucia's head fell back and thumped against the tree as her body shivered. "This whole rebel thing sounded so much better on paper."

Roy let out a hearty chuckled as he glanced at the ruins behind him. "So where are we? These buildings don't look to old, rather recent in my opinion. There isn't much sign of nature's grasp on them."

Lucia cupped her chin as she flipped through her mind. "If I remember these are the remains of a school that was destroyed by Emperor Lelouch's invasion around two years ago. There were no survivors and the school ceased to exist."

Roy's mouth dropped slightly at the horrible act. "He...destroyed a school?! Why?"

Lucia was silent as she tried to remember. "I'm not sure if he destroyed it specifically, but rumors say that the occupants were housing members of the New Britannian Empire. What I do know is that the headmaster had turned his school into a hospital for wounded."

Roy gritted his teeth and punched the ground angrily. "Lelouch...."

Oh!" Lucia exclaimed suddenly, shocking Roy. "I remember the name of the school! It was called Ashford Academy, one of the oldest and most respected schools in the world."

* * *

A chilly wind swept through the makeshift graveyard. The tombstones were skillfully cut with beautifully engraved words adorning their rough surfaces. The grass which had been well maintained in times past had now grown over the graves. R.R. stood before one grave, his face impassive. A nearby flower waved slowly in the wind. Turning to it, R.R. reached down and picked it, staring at it silently. Placing in in front of the tombstone he stood up, staring at the grave on last time before turning. The flower rested gently on the tomb, an apology for a promise he couldn't keep. "I'm sorry Rivalv, Milly. Looks like we won't be able to enjoy the fireworks with everyone." Lowering his head he turned around and began the lonely walk through the ruins of memories gone.

"Finally." Roy said as R.R. returned.

"You two ready?" He asked.

"Yup!" Lucia said, swiftly jumping to her feet, feeling somewhat refreshed after her little rest.

"Well then, lets go." R.R. motioned, turning once more to continue the long journey. After what seemed like a few hours they began to near the coordinates.

"We should be nearing the cords right?" Roy asked. R.R. nodded, glancing around. They had entered what seemed like a forest, with rows upon rows of neatly grown trees to their sides. "Weird place for a rebel base..." Roy muttered, examining the trees. A flash of light caught his attention from the corner of his eye. Turning his head he saw nothing. The tree's were strong and healthy, obviously cared for by a master gardener. Large, heavy, delicious oranges hung from the trees, ripe and ready for picking.

"These look delicious." Lucia said, reaching for one. Her mouth watered as she reached for the delicious fruit, her appetite ravenous due to the long trip. The tips of her fingers brushed a particularly large orange hanging seductively low. ***CRACK!* **A deafening sound rang in the air around them. The orange suddenly exploded, showering Lucia with juice and bits of the fruit.

Normally, Roy would burst out laughing at this sort of thing. An orange exploding for no reason in someones face? Priceless! However, his training and experience screamed the opposite. The loud crack and explosion came from a high velocity weapon, most likely a Sniper. Well hidden in these trees, he would be impossible to find. The precision required to hit the orange and avoid Lucia's fingers would require crack accuracy. They were dealing with an expert.

"I suggest you all hit the ground if you value your heads." A powerful voice rang out from the groove of trees.

Roy glanced at them from the corner of his eye. There was a brief shimmer in the sunlight and he swore. "_Looks like he has speakers hidden in the trees. And the flash of light was probably a camera. With the number of trees, assuming he has a camera on all of them, he has every angle covered. It would be suicide reaching for my gun_."

"Stay on the ground, I have my defensive systems locked onto you. One wrong twitch and it's all over." It was a deadly voice, cool and composed with what seemed like a touch of nobility in it.

R.R. pressed his face to the ground, desperately racking his mind for a way out of their situation. Like Roy, he grimly realized they were at the mercy of their captor. Lucia meanwhile sulked over the dirt and now orange stuck in her hair and all over her body. Her pupil shimmered briefly for a second as she looked at R.R. The image of the crane emerged, her Geass active.

"Stand up slowly." The voice said. It lacked the metallic and booming characteristics it had seconds ago.

"_That was quick. He must have been nearby_." R.R. thought, slowly raising himself from the ground. He raised his head slowly. "_Impossible_!" R.R. thought, his pupils dilating in shock.

A fit old man stood in front of them. His well groomed hair had turned white and wispy. The skin around his right eye sagged. Yet his body was slim and strong, his shoulders sturdy and held proudly. Instead of a right eye he had an elegant mechanical device that shined intensely under the afternoon sun. His left hand shot out and a dangerous blade extended from it, ready to slice open anyone in its way. "You have the impudence to tread upon the land of Jeremiah Gottwald?!"

"_Jeremiah? He's still alive! He could give away my identity if he realizes who I am_!" R.R. thought, panic setting in.

Jeremiah glared at each one, expertly assessing them. His gaze lingered on R.R., something scratching at the back of his head. His eyes shot open suddenly and his mouth slightly fell open as the realization hit him like a ton of bricks.

"No!" Mouthed R.R., desperately praying Jeremiah would understand.

Jeremiah stared at R.R. briefly before shouting. "Who are you and what reason are you here for?"

Roy glanced around and muttered to Jeremiah. "My name is Roy, the girl is Lucia, and my other companion is R.R.. We are here for the rebellion. We should talk somewhere safe." Jeremiah nodded before turning around and motioning for them to follow. "Where's the sniper?" Roy asked cautiously.

Jeremiah let out a loud laugh. "A cautious one aren't you? Guess they taught you to value your life. I left it in the trees. I've placed numerous snipers in trees all around the area."

Roy grinned in response. "You're rather cautious also, aren't you?"

"Correct. When fighting an enemy that controls 70% of the earth, caution is a good thing."

R.R. listened to the two's conversation dully, reaffirming their current situation. "_With Jeremiah as the leader of the rebellion, it must be in much better shape than I expected. Jeremiah has proven himself to be incredibly capable in the past, I doubt age has affected his vigor that much_."

"Is there a shower in that house?" Lucia asked hopefully, picking orange skin from her hair. A cottage lay in front of them, a neat wooden fence painted a bright orange surrounding it. A well cared for garden lay in full bloom, its colors giving the cottage a friendly welcome feeling.

"Yes. From the looks of it, you probably need it badly." Jeremiah said.

Roy let out a loud laugh. Lucia took the opportunity to throw the orange she held in her hands directly into Roy's mouth. "Thank you." She said politely, ignoring the coughing and gagging Roy. They stepped into the house, with Jeremiah leading Lucia to the shower.

"Why are you smiling?" Roy asked in R.R..

"Let's just say, this rebellion just got a little bit easier."

"Good news. We're going to need everything we can get to win this."

The door next to them opened and Jeremiah stepped inside. "Roy, was it? Can you do me a favor and reactivate the automatic defenses? You seem to be the most experienced in that matter." Roy glanced between the two and nodded, leaving the room. A silence settle over the room as its occupants stared at each other. Jeremiahs chair flew backwards as he collapsed onto one knee, his head bent low. The soft splash of tears hitting the ground could be heard as Jeremiah sobbed. "Your Majesty Lelouch...You are alive..."

R.R.'s gaze softened as he looked upon his loyal servant. "Jeremiah...You may rise. It is good to see you alive. How have you been? Actually, HOW are you alive? "

He rose, smiling. "A number of my organs were replaced with machines. I stayed in good health and maintained the mechanical parts. I've been fine these long years. I tended the farm with Anya for a while. It was a peaceful life, although I was never truly at ease. The requiem, C.C., it didn't go as planned. Although your goal was reached, the way in which it happened..." R.R. nodded, parting his bangs to show the code on his forehead. "As I thought." Jeremiah said, rubbing his chin. "And C.C.?"

R.R. lowered his face, his voice flat. "She...She died from her wound after giving me the code."

"I'm sorry." Jeremiah said softly, bowing his head in respect.

"Jeremiah!" Lucia yelled. "Do you have any spare clothes?"

Jeremiah turned to the door and stood up. Before leaving he stopped, holding the door open. "She was very much in love with you. In the 2 months before the Zero Requiem, where you spent most of your time alone, she wasn't the same. She tried to seem indifferent, her normal self. But anyone could tell she was worried and depressed. She stayed locked up in her room. The maids would often find her pillows wet with tears when they came into clean the room. I'll keep your identity a secret, do not worry. Lead this rebellion and make the world as it should, so you can meet C.C. with the success and pride you alone can carry." With that he slipped out, gently closing the door. R.R. remained motionless, his heart aching as thoughts of the witch played in his mind. "

You alright?" Roy asked, entering the room.

R.R. looked up and nodded, regaining his composure. Lucia and Jeremiah entered soon after. Lucia's hair had regained its natural shine and she looked ecstatic to be rid of the dirt and orange that coated her hours before.

"All of you wish to participate in the rebellion? The good news is I trust you. Now that everyone is here, should we head to the rebel base?" Jeremiah asked.

"Whoa, that quickly?" Roy asked suspiciously. Jeremiah nodded and motioned for them to follow.

"R.R. here confirmed to be a very valuable ally." Grabbing a nearby vase, he pressed down on it. There was a soft click and the wall in front of them shimmered and disappeared. Behind it was a spotless silver elevator. With a cheery ding, it opened. All of them shuffled into the elevator, and with a small swoosh the doors shut.

"This is pretty neat." Roy said, looking around the spacious elevator. The small window at the back showed them going very fast, yet the ride was smooth as could be.

Jeremiah looked at Roy and smiled. "If you think this is impressive, you're going to be shocked. We're a much larger resistance than you think." Another clear ding alerted them that they had reached their desired destination.

"Welcome to the headquarters of the White Knight's, one of Lelouch Vi Britannia resistance forces in the world. We're looking forward to your cooperation in seeing the world liberated from the grasp of a madman." A cheery voice said from speakers in the elevator. The doors opened as the three companions took an astonished step forwards into the base.

* * *

I hope that made up for the huge delay...It probably didn't though. As always R/R, although this time it would be greatly appreciated. It has been around a year since I last wrote a fanfiction, so any suggestions or reviews you have will be HUGE! Before you leave check out my other 2 new stories, _Prom Night_ and _Happy Birthday! Wait, It's Not Your Birthday? Take The Present Anyway_. I hope you enjoyed the story and until the next chapter, Sayonara!


	8. Time Moves forward

So yeah...I'm not dead. Again. Since it has been so long, I'll do my usual writing all at the end. I know you guys just want to get to the sweet stuff. So without further ado, I present to you

* * *

**Chapter 8: Time Moves Forward...**

* * *

"My son. What are you doing?" Natsume sighed as he walked into the throne room. It was a large, elegant room. Deep satin red curtains hung from the walls and a long red carpet led up to a decent throne. It was a beautiful piece of work, yet compared to Emperor Lelouch's throne room in Pendragon, it was merely a waiting room.

His Knight sprawled on the throne, polishing his blade. Lycris turned back and snarled venomously. "Stop with that bullshit. I'm not your son and I don't ever plan on becoming it."

Natsume glared at Lycris, his tone becoming serious. "Watch your mouth you brat. I didn't agree to this either but it's within Emperor Lelouch's best interests. The rebels in this area are beginning to become more active and picking a Knight was the best was to show them that we're becoming serious." He growled. Lycris merely gave a quiet, spiteful laugh before jumping off the throne. "Where are you going?" Natsume interrogated.

"To the training area." Lycris spat back.

Natsume sighed as the footsteps of his knight faded. Walking over to the throne he sat down, brooding. The boy was such a handful with his arrogant behavior. If not for his skills, devotion to Emperor Lelouch, and necessity, Natsume would have had the boy buried in a Conquered graveyard where he belonged.

A tap of the shoulder interrupted his thoughts as he turned to his right hand man Shimada. "General Natsume, Sir! Report for this months search." The image of the Guren flashed through Natsume's mind as he motioned for Shimada to continue. "We found and exterminated 3 new rebel bases. None of them contained the Guren Key or our high priority targets. Therefore it's certain that they are staying in Damocles the majority of the time. However with our DSHM locked onto Damocles, it would be suicide for them to move. Our monthly attacks on Damocles were met with the usual results. Despite our attempts to convince Emperor Lelouch to destroy Damocles, he refuses. Our most recent attack, however, yielded an interesting piece of information. A man with long black hair in a white outfit appeared. Emperor Lelouch has confirmed this to be the weapon of peace that has been in the Royal Family for centuries. He has raised the priority level of the extermination of Japan's resistance from level 3 to level 1." Natsume rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"Anything else, captain?"

Shimada nodded. "A message from Emperor Lelouch. He looks forward to both you and Knight Lycris's performance." Natsume frowned and waved away his Captain. Pulling out a small computer from the throne, he began to plan.

* * *

There was a blur in the air as Lycris swung his sword. A split second later the top half of the dummy was sent flying through the air, slamming with a loud crash into the wall behind it.

"Impressive. That was saronite, the hardest substance known." A voice said.

Lycris spun around, the words already escaping his lips. "Your Majesty!" He collapsed to one knee, his head bowed.

A smile tugged the corners of the visitors mouth. Emperor Lelouch, dressed in his regal white emperor robes rose a hand. Next to his side stood as always his guardian Zero. "Rise, Knight Lycris. How are you doing?"

Lycris sheathed his sword and rose. "I am fine, Your Majesty. Just training."

Lelouch nodded approvingly at the ravaged training area. The dummies all lay sliced in half, beyond repair. The shooting range was surrounded by empty shells, every target's center punched clean through. Fresh blood stained the sparring ring. Looking through the window into the emergency care area, a number of men who had been unlucky enough to be sparring when Lycris entered moaned pitifully, their bodies pummeled and broken. The attending doctors winced as they treated their patients. "How is your body feeling? The side effects should have completely gone away by now."

Lycris grinned as he stretched and flexed his arm. "It's amazing. The speed, the strength, the stamina...it's all amazing."

"Excellent. You have become everything I had expected of you, Knight Lycris."

"Your Majesty, it is only because of you I have gotten this far. I owe everything to you."

Lelouch smiled back. "You flatter me. I must get going, this detour has lasted long enough. I have important matters to deal with back in China." Lycris nodded, his hand tapping the side of his sword slowly. "Yes, Lycris? You have a question?"

Lycris looked up, nodding. "Your Majesty, if I may ask...Why are you in Japan?"

"Zero had sent a new supply of weapons, fresh from the lab here. He's interested in seeing their performance in Japan before he had them supplied to our troops in China. Well if you excuse me, we must be going." The two turned around to leave.

"Your Majesty, could I talk with Zero briefly?" Emperor Lelouch merely nodded and continued walking. When he was a suitable distance away, Lycris narrowed his eyes and glared at Zero. "Listen you. You may think you're so great being His Majesty's right hand. Enjoy it while you can you bastard. I'm going to be the one at His Majesty's side before long." He hissed, his voice filled with venom. His hand shot down like lightning, drawing his sword in the blink of an eye. There was a loud clash, and Lycris's sword was sent flying, impaling the wall next to them. Lycris swore as Zero's sword hovered centimeters from his neck.

"Good luck." Zero said, his voice low and emotionless. He sheathed his sword and turned around, leaving a humiliated and furious Lycris seething behind him.

* * *

"This....This is amazing!" Breathed Lucia. The polished silver walls gleamed as the reflections of the dozens of personnel around shimmered in them. They had entered a large vehicle bay, with tanks, humvees, and dozens of other vehicles stood ready at a moments notice. A number of heads turned to look at the newcomers with curiosity before returning to their work.

"The wall on the other side has a direct ramp leading to the surface. Makes for convenient deployment. We have a airstrip further near the mountains that's well hidden. However Natsume has been getting smarter in his searches for us, so we've been cutting back on its usage."Jeremiah explained, a hint of a smile on his face as he observed his speechless guests.

"What are those?" R.R. asked curiously. He was pointing to what looked like sleek motorcycles. Two clear square panels were attached to the sides, covering the wheels. Two flat engines were attached in between the wheels and clear panels.

"Oh these? They may look like ordinary motorcycles, but these are more than meets the eye. Let me give you a demo. Hey, Green! Give our guests a demo of the Speeders!" Jeremiah ordered, turning to two men milling around near the vehicles.

A tall strongly built man in a green uniform stopped talking to his companion and turned back to them. A headband kept his messy brown hair out of his eyes. His face had a good natured smile plastered on it. His deep brown eyes lit up as he saw Lucia. His companion groaned as Green went over to them. "Be still my heart! What is a beautiful woman such as yourself doing here? Would you not favor me with your name? Or better yet, your company?"

Lucia raised an eyebrow as she looked at the man in front of her. "You let people like this into your rebellion?"

Green took a step back raising a hand to his forehead as if he had been struck. "Ohhhh...You're even lovely when you're cruel!" Roy let out a chuckle as Jeremiah sighed.

"I'm sorry sir." Green's companion said, running up to them to grab Green. He was a man of similar build to Green, his uniform the same except for the red color. His orange hair was neatly parted down his forehead and spiked at the ends. His face was set and serious.

"This is Red, Green's partner. Despite their looks these two are some of our best soldiers." Jeremiah explained.

"Thank you sir. Now shall we demonstrate the Speeders like you asked?" Jeremiah nodded and the two walked away. "Green, you idiot! You just had to chase after another girl!"

"It's not my fault!" Green complained. "It's my curse! And besides, to be silent in the presence of such beauty is an unspeakable crime of the most heinous offense!" Sain explained, looking to Red for understanding and pity.

Red sighed and the two got onto the Speeders. After a quick diagnostics and start up, the engines of the two Speeders began to rumble. There was a blast of light and the two engines sandwiched between the wheel and clear panels turned into jets, propelling the Speeder into the air. The clear panels suddenly began to lurch upward, stopping once they rested horizontal. There was a soft hiss as they extended slightly back, curving inward to form a metallic straight wing shape. A soft pop emerged from the handle bars as two guns emerged.

"These semi automatic weapons shoot 5.56 mm caliber bullets, capable of penetrating most anything. However battle isn't these vehicles main focus." Jeremiah explained. At those words Green revved the engine, and with a blast he began speeding around the room, making breakneck turns and slick movements. "These Speeders are highly maneuverable and versatile. The weapons are added as safety and some form of self defense, not their primary focus." With that the speeder landed and their demonstration came to a close. "Red, Green. I want you to organize a meeting in the grand room. I have an important announcement to make." Jeremiah ordered.

"Why sir?" Both asked curiously.

"Our most important pieces have finally arrived. We can begin." Red's face (if possible) became more serious, a smile almost invisibly tugging at the corner of his lips. Green meanwhile cracked his knuckles and chuckled, already shaking with anticipation. The two saluted and ran quickly to their jobs.

"Green! Green?! DON'T USE THE SPEEDERS IN THE BASE!" Red screamed as Green jumped aboard one.

"ANNOUNCEMENT IN THE MAIN HANGER! IT'S TIME!" Green yelled energetically, blowing by a woman and sending her spinning. Jeremiah waved his hand as he lead R.R. and his band away, giving permission to use them.

With permission from a superior officer Red nodded and boarded a Speeder. "Green! BE CAREFUL!" Red yelled, chasing after his companion.

Jeremiah shook his head, an old smile wrinkling his face. "Those two....they've been like that since day one. Invaluable though. Two of our best fighters, both leaders of their platoons."

Lucia eyed the small scraps of paper flowing on the wind left by the Speeders. "I can imagine. How did those two get their names? Green and Red aren't really...common."

Jeremiah motioned them to follow. "They're nicknames. Their real names...they've discarded. That's their decisions though, and I respect them for it. The past...The past is something all of us would like to forget, at least once. Let's head over to the main hangar, it's time to make an announcement."

* * *

The main hangar was enormous. The vehicles had been removed to make room for the occupants. An elevated platform sat near the back, awaiting its announcers. Thousands of people gathered in the hangar, talking excitedly, their voices filling the room. The mood of the room was invigorating, a mesh of excitement, curiosity, and long awaited joy.

"It's time!" A teenage girl with long teal hair laughed.

Her companion, a middle aged man with square shoulders and a set jaw turned to her. "It's rare to see you so excited, Fiona." He said, his voice warm and caring despite his rough appearance.

The girl turned, a smile on her face. "Of course I am, father! Mother....Mother will finally be able to rest in peace!" Her father nodded in agreement. "Plus....I get to fight next to Green." Fiona said, a light blush on her cheeks. The smile evaporated from her fathers face as he gave grunted in disapproval and crossed his arms. Fiona gave a exasperated sigh. "Oh father..."

"I don't like him." Fiona's father merely grunted.

Their discussion was cut short as a hushed silence quickly fell upon the immense crowd. All eyes turned to Jeremiah as he stepped onto the stage. Standing next to the stage Lucia, Roy, and R.R. watched. He cleared his throat briefly before waving his hand in front of his mouth. "Soldiers of the rebellion!" He said, his voice booming across the hangar.

"How does he do that?" Lucia asked Roy.

"Jeremiah told me about it briefly before he went up there. A special device in his hand that makes the particles in front of his mouth vibrate more frequently, creating a louder sound, or something like that. It makes absolutely no sense to me. I wish I had Benny to translate this techno talk for me." Roy said, rubbing his head.

"We are all here today for a common goal. The so called "Emperor" Lelouch has affected all of our lives. He destroyed the peaceful lives we all enjoyed and ruined the hundreds years of peace we enjoyed. Today, we shall end this age of terror and oppression! The days of the Demon King, Lelouch vi Britannia, shall not be relived!"

An immense roar erupted from the crowd. The thousands of occupants screamed and cheered, fired up.

Jeremiah motioned for silence. "Today, our luck has turned around. Companions...allies, I have been hoping for have finally appeared! The Empress of New Britannia, Lilia vi Britannia, has arrived!" The very air in the hangar seemed to shake as its occupants exploded into cheers and applause. Jeremiah motioned for Lilia to join him.

Lilia looked nervously at the crowd, apprehension and and uncertainty evident on her face. A hand fell gently on her shoulder. "You can do it, Lilia." Roy said softly, giving her a small squeeze. Lilia turned back and gave a warm smile before nodding to herself, mentally preparing as she walked up the stairs. Accepting the voice magnifier from Jeremiah, she cleared her throat and turned to her audience. "Members of the rebellion. I...I am sorry." Murmurs emerged softly from the crowd as they tried to make sense of what she had just said. "While you have been risking your lives, I...I've been hiding. Royalty is no excuse...what good is an empress who does not know her people? I ask that you treat me like you would a fellow soldier. Because right now, I am not royalty, I am not your Empress. I am a citizen who, like you, merely wishes to end the atrocious actions of an unjust leader! So, my comrades. Let us raise our fists, grit our teeth, and prepare for battle!" Lilia descended the stairs, clutching her chest, explosive screams following her. She walked up to Roy, relief evident on her face as she unexpectedly hugged him. "Roy... I did well, didn't I?"

Roy blushed and put an arm around her, his eyes softening. "Yeah, you did good Lilia."

Lucia giggled as she elbowed R.R.. "Cute couple, aye?"

R.R. rolled his eyes as he ascended the steps to stand next to Jeremiah. "Now! I have a very important announcement to make." Jeremiah began as the crowd hushed. "I have chosen my right hand. I have chosen the man to be my second in command." Silence in the crowd was absolute and the air became thick with tension and suspense.

"Hehe, about time, aye bro?" A muscled teenager said, turning to his brother.

His brother, an older teenager with spiky brown hair snorted. "I know Minato. I thought the old man would never give me the position."

"As of this moment, R.R. will be my second in command." Jeremiah announced, turning to the tall, long haired teenager standing next to him. Shouts and gasps came from the crowd.

"THE HELL IS THIS SHIT?!" Minato yelled, slamming the wall with his fist. "That fuckin' position is yours Shinto!"

Shinto's body trembled as his hands curled into fists, his eyes filled with rage.

"Interesting development, wouldn't you say so Red?" Green remarked, his eyebrows raised as he tapped his chin.

Reds eyebrows furrowed as he scrutinized R.R.. "I don't see anything so spectacular about him. We certainly have talent within this resistance. For Jeremiah to pick a complete newcomer...He must know him and trust him completely. To me, at least, that's enough."

Green let out a hearty chuckle as leaned back and relaxed against the wall. "I'll take your word for it my fellow knight! For R.R. to be promoted as commander, that means we will be seeing more of my beautiful angel Lucia!" The exasperated sigh Red let out was heard by all those around them.

"Jeremiah....is this really necessary? The forwardness of promoting a complete stranger is going to cause rifts and tensions in this rebellion." R.R. murmured to Jeremiah. "I know your skill first hand. There is no one better than you for this. Plus a position like this will let you prove yourself to them when it really counts. Your Majesty, you are the only one who can do this. No one has experience with demons like you."

R.R. nodded as he turned to the shocked crowd. "None of you know who I am. Many of you are wondering why the hell I got such a position." R.R.'s eyes narrowed as he stared at the crowd. "Trust me. I have the skills, I have the ability to lead us to victory. I say this with complete certainty, with complete confidence. Lelouch vi Britannia will fall. Nippon, BANZAI!"

"NIPPON, BANZAI!" The crowd screamed back.

"Hey...He seems pretty confident." Roy said, nudging Lucia.

Lucia watched her accomplice work his magic on the crowd, an impressed smile on her face as she ignored the obtrusive boy next to her. "Well, I do suppose a direct approach is the only option you have left, being pushed into such a position so unexpectedly."

R.R. nodded at his new subordinates and soldiers. "Now lets get ready. We've got a lot of work to do.

* * *

**To Be Continued in Chapter 9**

* * *

I lied. It hasn't been two weeks since I last updated. I apologize. Writing has been pushed even further out of my life as time goes on. Junior year is actually a bit difficult. I've been goingto raves more frequently, at the same rate I used to a year or two ago. I've been doing work for my permit (Yeah...I'm 17, figured I should get on that). I quit WOW months ago and have been spending time with people who I stupidly did not spend enough time with. Oh yeah, Modern Warfare 2 has been a big timesink too (Love that game. My gamertag is k4m4k4z3, hit me up if you ever want to play!). Also Bayonetta (Awesome game with an AMAZING OST. Something Missing - Michi is my new favorite song!) has been stealing my life. So my bad readers, MA BAD!

Also, dont you hate it when after writing a story, you realize that if you had done this during this chapter your story could be SO much more kickass? This story would be SO much more awesome if I had done those simple few changes in chapter 1. Oh wll, no point crying over spilled milk.

+20 points if you figure out where Green and Red are from (yeah, I know the Archetype's are technically switched, but I chose it because of the game they came from). What's funny is this is the only deliberate time I've referenced the game, all the other times were by pure accident. I'm probably not going to finish my Fire Emblem fanfic, all my writing time will be spent on this story. If you really do want it that much, let me know and I will think about it. As usual, R/R. I would love it even more if you were to do so, its been a long time since I've written and I would love to see how I'm doing. Until then I hope you enjoy, sayonara.

-FireIceWindEarth (FIWE)


	9. Confessions and Concoctions

What's up readers? New chapter, I'll save my usual report for the end. So enjoy the newest chapter of Code Geass: The Empresses Wish.

Edit: Bit of an error with , re-uploaded chapter. Apologize for inconvenience.

* * *

**Chapter 9: Confessions and Concoctions**

* * *

_5 months have passed since R.R. was promoted to second in command..._

The barks of automatic weapon fire echoed in the warehouse. A soldier of His Majesty Lelouch gave a scream of pain as his body collapsed to the floor, two bullet holes in his chest due to the accuracy of Roy.

"You sons-a-bitches!" The soldier next to him screamed, grabbing his pistol from its holster and aiming it at Roy. There was a slight shimmer in the air in front of his eyes. The pistol fell to the ground, five fingers still gripping it. The man had hardly realized the absence of his fingers and half his hand before a long blade had slid into his body. He shuddered briefly before slumping forward. Raven coldly withdrew the sword from the dead man, a sickening squelch sounding as blood sprayed onto his clothes. His face impassive, he withdrew a cloth from his jacket and wiped his blade clean. An unsettling silence settled over the warehouse as the victorious rebels relaxed and observed the carnage.

"Casualties?" Lucia ordered, lowering her pistol.

"Itou has a nasty cut on his left bicep and Momo need a bullet extracted from her leg. Miaski received a bullet in her chest, medics are currently performing emergency surgery. The bullet went clean through and hit nothing vital so she should be fine." Roy reported.

Lucia nodded and turned to the milling rebels. "All right, you all know the drill. Lets get these crates opened, I want this warehouse cleaned out in 30 minutes top. We don't want any of Emperor Lelouch's reinforcements ruining our little party here."

With the grace and efficiency of people who had performed the task many times the rebels went to work. Cracking his knuckles, Roy grinned and nudged Raven. "You ready to get to work buddy?" Raven merely rolled his sleeves up and grabbed a box of assault rifles. "As social as ever." Roy muttered.

"Lucia, where do you want these?" Raven asked Lucia, holding the crate of assault rifles.

Lucia smiled at Raven and pointed outside. "The dropship should be here in 15 or so minutes, just put it out there. Also, would you mind helping load the crates when it arrives?" Raven nodded and began to walk. A pair of slender arms circled him as Lucia hummed happily into his ear. "Thank you, Raven!"

Raven let out a quiet, awkward grunt before breaking free of the hug and walking outside.

Roy walked up to Lucia, a cheeky grin on his face. "Hehe, only you Lucia."

A light blush spread across her face. "Only me what, Roy?"

"Only you could do that to Raven. First time I've seen the man lose his cool. So, when are you gonna pop the que-"

**SMACK! **Lucia's pistol cleanly smacked Roy in the forehead as she squeaked in an embarrassed fit. "Don't you have manual labor to do?!" Snickering, Roy quickly left to avoid another pistol whip. "Pop the question?" Lucia let out a silent sigh. "I have to tell him first..."

* * *

R.R. stared at the chessboard with an intensity that could burn through metal. His chin resting delicately on his hand, he stared at the pieces, the genius level brain hard at work. A knock on the doors disrupted his planning.

"Commander R.R.! Permission to enter?"

"Permission granted."

The doors swished open and Red and Green entered. Green raised an eyebrow as he observed the chessboard. "Playing against yourself? You better be winning."

Ignoring the comment, R.R. turned to Kent expectantly. "Lucia just contacted us, the warehouse raid was a success. Three casualties, nothing serious. Dropship should bring them back by the hour. We'll have a full report on what we seized when they return." R.R. nodded and waved the two away, his focus already returning to the chessboard. The two saluted and quickly headed to the dining hall.

"That R.R. sure is a serious fellow." Green remarked.

Red began to agree. "Yes. I'm very happy he was appoi-"

"Don't you dare finish that sentence, Red."

Green and Red tensed and turned, already knowing who was behind them. "I think he's doing an absolutely wonderful job. Don't you, Shinto?" Green asked, a large smile on his face.

Shinto and Minato stood framed in the doorway behind them. Shinto clenched and unclenched his hands into fists, glaring at Green with pure venom. "Don't push it Green. I have no qualms about fuckin' up a guy like you."

Greens eyes narrowed and he grinned at Shinto. "Lets see if the dog has a bite to match its bark."

Red felt a shiver go down his spine as Green's playful tone took a darker feeling. "Green, drop it and lets go." The last thing Red wanted was for Green to get into one of his moods. Giving one last glance towards the arrogant pair of brothers, the two left.

* * *

Raven locked his door and sat on his bed. Quickly slipping out of his bloodstained shirt he threw it into a nearby laundry chute. His fingers paused briefly over a long, jagged scar above his left peck. His finger traced the scar, moving from his left collarbone to the upper center of his chest. A brief feeling of enormous rage bubbled inside before cooling as quickly as it had emerged. Slipping a shirt on and letting his head fall back, Raven closed his eyes and let out a tired sigh. Turning to his desk he opened and withdrew a small circular device. Entering a few commands on the small keyboard located on the front he waited patiently for the other end to pick up.

"Enter password." A soothing female voice said.

"All hail Emperor Lelouch." Raven answered.

"Confirmed. Please wait."

There was a small wait before the a holographic image of Shimada, General Natsume's aid appeared. "Report Raven."

Raven made a quick glance to the door before clearing this throat. "Another warehouse strike. The attack was on warehouse 87, not 54 like I had heard. 500 Assault rifles seized, over 300 pounds in ammunition, 50 pounds of explosive material and..."

"Continue." Shimada ordered.

"1 Havoc was also seized..."

A string of curses was heard from Shimada as Raven winced. "They've gone on too long with this. What are the coordinates of the base? You NEED to tell us when they're vulnerable!"

Raven bit his lip and the image a girl with long green hair flashed through his mind. "Not...yet..." Raven muttered.

"Raven! Do you know how much we paid you?!"

Raven's fists clenched as his head fell forward, his long black bangs covering his eyes. _I know...It's just...She..."_

"Raven?" A voice called out, knocking on the door.

"Abort." Raven hissed, hand flying to the power button.

"Damn-" Shimada began before he was cut off.

Raven stuffed the device into his drawer and got up, walking over to the door. _"It's just her...It's just..." _

The doors opened with a swish and a familiar girl smiled at Raven. "Hey! Mind if I come in?"

"Lucia?" Raven asked, moving aside to let her in.

Lucia turned at Raven and smiled again. "You always head straight to your room after missions. I just wanted to see you again. Maybe we could go to the mess hall and grab some food?" Lucia sat down on Ravens bed and looked around at his room. _"Raven's room..." _Lucia could barely contain the teenage squeal of excitement that threatened to emerge.

Raven sat next to Lucia. Her hair was still slightly damp and it clung to her white porcelain skin. A pleasant, flowery smell wafted into Raven's nose. A slight shiver went through Raven's back as Lucia's damp hair gently rested against his arm. Looking down he couldn't help but feel a stirring in his heart as he saw the gentle, beautiful face that masked the strong character behind it.

"Lucia..." Raven said softly. "Why do you do this? Why are you...kind? I'm a mercenary. I could betray you at any moment. I could..." Raven paused. "Kill all of you."

Lucia looked up, violet eyes meeting electric blue. A soft smile on her face threatened to break the emotionless Raven. "You might. But...I love you. Nothing will change that. I have faith in you, that's what a person does when they love someone, right?" Lucia stood up, her flash flushed. "I should be going now. If you get hungry, you can meet me in the mess hall I guess." Without another word the girl dashed out of the room.

"Lucia!" Raven yelled. "Why? Why do you love me?"

Lucia turned back and gave a mischievous smile. "Someday you'll remember, just like I did!" Giggling the girl ran down the hall.

Raven watched her go, heart aching with all sorts of feelings. A rare smile flashed across his face before returning to its usual blank slate. Leaning against the wall he began cleaning his blade, the simple process blocking everything from his mind.

* * *

"Damn that Raven. What the hell is going on down there?" Shimada swore, staring at the spot where Raven had appeared before.

Natsume sighed, rubbing his temples tiredly. "That boy is becoming more troublesome than we expected. His reports are becoming less detailed and come in with less frequency. The last two reports had the raid locations completely wrong. What's worse is he still refuses to give us the location of the rebel base!"

"Having trouble Old Man?" A cold sneering voice asked. Lycris walked into the room, an amused sneer on his face.

Natsume's eyes narrowed as he stared at the boy. "Begone, Lycris. I am not in the mood."

Lycris laughed and shrugged, his arms raised in mock surprise. "I apologize, my beloved and venerable father. If I may, I have a suggestion that would do very much to lessen the stress on your weary mind."

"Drop the act but continue." Natsume ordered.

Lycris grinned, his tone returning to its usual haughty arrogant way. "We'll make sure he gives us the correct warehouse next time. Bribe him with a tip to make sure he tells the truth, you know how much he loves money. I'll just tag along on that warehouses defense force. I'll isolate Raven, have a nice face to face chat with him and slip a tracker onto him. We follow him back. Bingo. Rebels defeated, Raven disposed of."

Shimada looked up at Natsume hesitantly. "It's a good plan, I can see it being pulled off."

Natsume nodded but stared at Lycris. "Yes. It is a good plan. But tell me this, Lycris. How are you going to get Raven by himself? He will be traveling with friends and a full force. Will pulling him away be as easy as you make it to be?"

Lycris stood absolutely still. His body shuddered, then began to spasm. A deep, malicious laugh burst from his lungs, filling the room with its malevolence.

Shimada let out a brief gasp and unknowingly took a step back from the boy. Natsume felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up as he watched the boy.

Lycris's laughter died down and his body became still. He looked up, a smile of pure mirth on his face. "How can he refuse a request from his old best friend, Lycris?"

* * *

**To Be Continued In Chapter 10**

* * *

Oooooo, cliffhanger? Focus on my OC's and relationships this chapter. I can't make them brainless uninteresting background, now can I? We'll continue to explore their histories and the ways they are connected in upcoming chapters. More action and battles too. Yay! I wrote the last two paragraphs today so their quality might not be up to par with the first few (I like spending multiple days on chapters/paragraphs, coming back at different times and mindsets). They seemed decent enough when I went over them though. Anyway, now onto the announcement (read first sentence and then skip to last paragraph if you don't care and don't want to hear a QQ).

I can say assuredly no new chapter for 3 or so weeks. After finishing this chapter I have 3 days worth of school to do including a 15 page research paper, 20 pages of history notes, and more big scary things. School is coming to a close and if I want to have a shot of going to UCSC like I desire, then I got a ton of work to do. I have 1 week of school left to try and bring up a C- to an A and B to an A, finals, 3 SAT Subject tests, and an AP English Exam. My life is so super chill, amirite? After that I have 2 weeks of freedom I will try to write some chapters in and after those 2 weeks I go to ROMANIA! Come back and the I go straight a Summer Camp. I get back and go under like a month of super intense Math SAT studying for the SAT in October. That's my summer in a nutshell. Pretty busy and not the relaxing chill-fest I had envisioned but that's alright.

As usual R/R and enjoy. Would love reviews telling me how the writing is since I'm slowly getting back into my writing mood and groove. Until then I hope you enjoy. Sayonara.

-FireIceWindEarth (FIWE)


	10. My Heart is Heavy

So yeah...it has been too long without an update so here goes. I'm going to say what many of you have been thinking but couldn't have confirmed. This story is now on indefinite hiatus. My laptop's HDD died recently and I lost everything, including the half finished new chapter to this story. The chapter had been a real pain to write and then I realized, I'm not enjoying writing this anymore. I still want to continue this story, I have so many ideas and things stored away. It's just I can't seem to get the motivation to write it. The ideas are in my head, they just can't seem to materialize onto paper. Also, the fervent love I had for Code Geass has finally, began to slip away. The new manga seems, in my honest opinion, like shit. The first chapter barely grabbed my attention (Go read on mangafox). Compared to the first episode of Code Geass...It has a long way to go. It's just harder to get excited and feel the passion I once had. I love you guys, the thought of thousands of people out there who enjoy my story and await the next chapter does incredible things to me. I do hope I can finish this, I don't know when, but hopefully soon. Until then, however...

Sayonara,

FIWE


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